


FROBIN AU: A Long Way From Home

by PaintMeTheSky



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Frobin, One Piece - Freeform, One Piece AU, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-16 15:20:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9277805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaintMeTheSky/pseuds/PaintMeTheSky
Summary: A Frobin AU in which Robin and Franky meet each other wayyy before the canon events.





	1. The Fated Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this sometime mid-2015 but I hadn't polished it enough to post it. But... now... here it is! I hope everyone likes it! As it's an AU taking place in a completely different timeline, certain aspects might be changed but hopefully there won't be any significant spoilers!

 

* * *

 

 

Nico Robin watched quietly as a repetitive scene unfolded before her.

The usual apathetic expression on her face, did not betray the fear she felt in her heart. 

How could she not?

One would think she’d be used to it by now but it wasn’t that easy.

The flicker of recognition on the man’s face faded, being replaced by a look of outrage.

“You! You’re Nico Robin, aren’t you?! The 80 million bounty devil child?!” he reached out to grab her but she moved away.

 _It was actually 79 million_ but who had the time to stop and explain that?

 

It was about time to make a hasty escape but just as she was about to make a run for it, a crowd of onlookers- who had been minding their own business just minutes ago- now encircled her.

She had become used to situations like these. She made a round of hands appear on the people surrounding her and restrained them while she made a run for it. However, she had apparently missed one man who recklessly jumped on her. The surprise ruined her concentration, causing her to free her grips on the other people. The now free people began making a riot.

The man looked at her with pure hatred in his eyes, although he had never even met her before. He probably even had no idea as to why he hated her so.

She was a criminal with a bounty of 79 million who was declared to be a threat to the peace of the world. What other reason could he need? It was the same for the others as well. And how could she blame them? She probably would have reacted the same way had she been in their place. It isn’t as though they knew any better. 

But even so it wasn’t fair! The hopelessness of her situation, not the riot in the bar -she could have escaped it blindfolded at that point- but her situation, her life in general suddenly sunk in.

She suddenly lost the motivation to try to escape or even defend herself as the man who had restrained her, raised an arm to assault her. She watched, her eyes listless, as the hand came down upon her.

 

In an instant, it was caught by another hand just moments before it could make contact with her face.

For the first time in a very long time, emotions manifested on her pretty face. She looked with surprise at the boy who saved her.

Light blue hair, goggles, unbuttoned shirt with khaki shorts. Not the sort of person you could take seriously at first sight. But he saved her. It wasn’t the sort of sentiment she was used to.

She refused to delude herself. He had probably misunderstood the situation. Once he found out that she was _the_ Nico Robin he, himself would attack her!

The boy frowned “Hitting a girl like that is so not SUPER” before pushing away the man easily.

“No! You don’t understand! This girl is-“

  
“I don’t give a shit who she is, nii-chan. This kind of behavior is totally uncool” and his face darkened leaving the other man stuttering and unable to form a proper argument.

“And YOU!” he turned to her “Don’t be so nonchalant when somebody’s attacking you! Come on!” he grabbed her by the hand and walked out of the joint.

 

He pulled her a good few blocks down the road before finally letting go of her hand. “You should be fine he-“ he paused “Oi! You’re _that_ Nico Robin!”

It was just as she had thought. Now that he figured out who she was, it was a matter of time before he tried to turn her over to the authorities.

She looked down at her feet to avoid his gaze. She had enough of peoples’ hateful glares for one day.

“Oi! I’m talking to you!” he put his hand on her chin and raised her face up to his. Their eyes met.

However, for once, Robin did not see that intense glare of loathing that she was so used to.

The boy looked troubled to be sure, but something was different.

“I am. So what?” she finally said before dropping her eyes to the ground again. “A-are you going to turn me over to the marines now?” she asked, unable to stop her voice from quivering a bit.

“BAA-KA” The boy raised an eyebrow “Why would I turn you over to those guys after I went through the trouble of saving you?”

Robin raised her head and gave the blue-haired boy a puzzled look. This was an unexpected turn of events.

“But now that I know you’re Nico Robin, I can’t exactly let you go either” he continued.

Robin silently stared at him as he (quite comically) went through several stages of confusion while wrestling with his inner thoughts. He kept on mumbling something about a ‘Tom-san’ and a ‘Baka-burg’ while furiously scratching the back of his head and pacing about.

“Where do you live?” he finally asked her.

“I don’t have a home,” she said flatly.

“Yosh! I decided! Tom-san will know what to do with you!” he seemed to have come to a conclusion “You! Nico Robin” he pointed at her “you come with me!”

“Why”

“What’s the problem, kid? You don’t even have a home, do you? Just come with me damn it!” He seemed aggravated.

The prospect of having to convince her might not have come up in his internal monologue, she presumed. He was quite an amusing person.

“I don’t want to” she said blankly.

“HAAAHH??!!” he exclaimed “YOU DON’T WANT TO?!”

 

He sure was a loud one. Robin did not lift her head to meet his eyes. Why _should_ she have to go with him? Indeed, he had saved her but that didn’t exactly mean he was a good person. She had been betrayed by **too many** people **too many** times to grant him the luxury of acquiring her trust that easily. Besides, he hadn’t even known she was THE Nico Robin when he had saved her.

“You don’t have anywhere to go, do you? Might as well come with me,” he persisted.

“What are you going to do with me?” she asked, her face still displaying no emotion.

“Hmmm? You don’t have to worry about that. We aren’t gonna do anything weird with you. We aren’t perverts or anything”

Robin gave the boy an assiduous once-over “You sure look like one”

The boy’s lips twitched in annoyance “Oi oi” he grumbled.

Nico Robin internally weighed her options.

There weren’t many, actually.

Just two, in fact. Either she could go with him to whatever fate awaited her or she could spend another few days looking for a place to work at, until the greed of 79 million beli took over and she was once again betrayed.

The latter was getting boring and repetitive.

“Fine. I’ll go with you,” she said finally.

“SUPER!” the boy grinned.

 


	2. Journey to Water 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Franky take the seatrain to Water 7. What awaits Robin there?

 

* * *

 

 

The blue-haired boy walked a few steps ahead, yawning loudly.

His hands were joined behind his head.

Robin walked behind him, her hands joined behind her back.

He didn’t seem to be paying close attention to her. She could have run away if she chose to.

She wondered where he was taking her.

 

“Um... uh” she started. 

“It’s Franky,” he said without even looking back at her. 

“Huh?” 

“My name. It’s Franky”

“Oh… I see,” she said thoughtfully “Franky, where are you taking me?”

“To Water 7” he said simply “That’s where we live. I’m here to pick up some parts but after that we’ll take the seatrain back to Water 7”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Robin stared listlessly out the window. There wasn’t much to see except the seemingly endless ocean and the occasional ship or two on the horizon.

Franky had collected his so-called “parts” and whatnot from many different people and had kept bargaining with them the entire time.

The more she observed him, the less she understood him. Wasn’t it supposed to be the opposite?

 

At one point, he bought two cans of soda and drank them both in one go. Then, suddenly remembering her presence, he bought another one and offered it to her.

After she declined it, he shrugged and chugged it down like it was nothing and went on his merry way.

She stifled a small smile that threatened to form on her face.

“I can’t let my guard down” she repeated to herself multiple times, like some sort of mantra.

 

After all his dealings were done, they headed over to the seatrain station and were currently en route to Water 7.

She had heard of the place but hadn’t been there before. She wondered what awaited her there.

 

Suddenly, she felt a dull thud and looked to see Franky’s face just inches from hers.

He had fallen asleep on her shoulder (and was snoring quite loudly).

Robin was amazed at just how careless this guy could be! Wasn’t she supposed to be some demonic villain?

How could he be so unguarded around her without even getting to know her?

She smiled despite herself. He was indeed an idiot.

Quite some time later, a voice from the speakers overhead announced that they had reached Water 7 and she gently patted him awake.

 

He woke with a start and then rubbed his eyes and mumbled “I fell asleep, sorry”, seemingly unaware of what (or in fact whom) he had been using as a cushion the entire time. She let it slide.

“Well, Nico Robin?! What did you think?!” he suddenly burst out- his usual cheerfulness and loudness in general, returning.

“Of what?”

“The seatrain, of course!” he exclaimed and then rubbing his nose, he smirked “Well, not to brag or anything, but you’re looking at one of the men who helped to build it”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Yeah but the one who designed it was Tom-san! Of course, he also worked day and night with us! Much harder than anyone else!” his eyes beamed with pride whenever he mentioned this ‘Tom-san’.

“Who, may I ask, is this ‘Tom-san’?” Robin inquired politely.

Franky’s eyes seemed to shine brighter “Tom-san is only the best shipwright in this entire world!”

Robin stared at the boy as he went on and on with praises about Tom-san.

She wasn’t used to having such pleasant conversations.

“What?” he finally stopped when he noticed her gaping at him.

“No, it’s nothing” she smiled “It’s a wonderful train!”

“Right? Right?” he continued chattering on about how amazing it was and how it helped Water 7 to flourish.

 

* * *

  

Nico Robin didn’t know what she had expected but this definitely wasn’t it.

To begin with, the amazing Tom-san she had been hearing so much about throughout the journey wasn’t even a human and the ice idiot ‘bakaburg’ glared daggers at her.

Ok maybe she had expected that part.

She was brought to some junkyard where the two men were working. Upon recognizing her, their faces went expressionless.

“Let us continue this conversation inside” said Tom-san and ushered them into a small cottage under a bridge.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is quite short. Hehe...


	3. Arrival at Water 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Franky brings Robin with him to Water 7. How will the others back home react?

* * *

 

The normally happy-go-lucky Tom-san had for once, worn a serious expression on his face for more than 5 minutes.

That was a first for Franky. 

“Tom-san” Franky felt a cold sweat form on his brow “I didn’t know what to do so I brought her with me”

“Nmaa~~ Franky you idiot!” Iceburg bellowed “How could you be so thoughtless? She’s a criminal with such a high bounty! What if Tom-san gets in trouble when people see her here?” 

“Now now, Iceburg” Tom-san said calmly “He did the right thing. It’s far too dangerous to let her roam about”

He then turned to Robin “You are Nico Robin, yes? The sole survivor of that incident in Ohara?”

Robin bit her lower lip and nodded a solemn yes in reply.

“Tell me, why did your people begin researching the Poneglyphs? Those were such dangerous-“ Tom-san started but was cut off.

 

“Don't speak of Ohara as though you know anything about it!” Robin cried out.

Tears started to form in her eyes “We only wanted to know the truth! We only wanted to know about the void century. We didn’t want anything to do with the weapons! We are scholars! We only wanted to learn more about what we didn’t know! We…” Robin trembled as she spoke.

Franky gaped at the quivering girl. He hadn’t known such cruel darkness lay in her past.

 

“NMAA~~ Even if you wanted to know, those are dangerous things you were messing with! Those things could be used to bring great destruction and great misery even if that wasn’t your intention! That kind of knowledge should not have been pursued in the first place!” Iceburg cut in.

Robin trembled with rage. It was the same everywhere.

“Robin, are you still searching for the Poneglyphs?” Tom-san asked.

“I Am.” she said resolutely.

“WHAT?” Iceburg burst out.

“It’s the only thing I have left to tie me to my homeland. I don’t care about the weapons. I will succeed in knowing the things my people couldn’t!” her eyes glowed with ferocity.

Franky was taken aback at this side of her. The meek and apathetic girl could make such a face.

It must be something very important to her, he mused.

 

There was a short silence, broken only by Tom-san’s gleeful laughter.

Robin was dumbfounded.

Was there a joke there that she missed somehow? Did they think she was kidding?

“Tom-san! This is no laughing matter!” Iceburg claimed anxiously.

Tom-san, suddenly as joyful as ever, spoke. “Well, from the look in her eyes it’s quite obvious that we can’t stop her. Well, it should be okay. She doesn’t seem like a bad kid!” and promptly began laughing again.

Robin was too stunned to speak. Was this some kind of trick? It had to be!

“Nmaa~ Tom-san! How could you say that? We have to stop her somehow!” Iceburg yelled desperately.

“And how are you going to do that, Iceburg?” Tom-san said between fits of laughter, which brought tears to his eyes, “Keep her locked up in here forever?”

Iceburg didn’t seem to have an answer.

“But, you know, Robin” Tom-san once again summoned his serous face “You should be careful what you do with this knowledge. Just knowing can’t be a bad thing but it’s what you do with that knowledge that matters. There could be many bad people who try to take advantage of you for your knowledge! Since you are so adamant on chasing this, it’s also your responsibility to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Tom-san” she answered instantly without thinking.

“Good” he smiled and patted her on the head “That’s settled then!” and once again he was his cheerful self. He dug a handkerchief out of a pocket and offered it to Robin.

Iceburg was stunned speechless, which was a good thing Robin mused, because that guy hadn’t said a single thing in her favour since they met.

 

She then turned to Franky, who had been quiet the entire time.

He grinned at her “If Tom-san’s okay with it then so am I!” 

Robin smiled back.

She felt more tears burn the back of her eyes but they weren’t sad ones.

This was the first time she’d felt so accepted after leaving Ohara. Over 10 years on the run, she was all alone.

 

“Well boys, let’s get back to work!” Tom-san said.

“What about me?” Robin asked expectantly.

Surely, this couldn’t be it.

“Sorry for taking up your time Robin” Tom-san smiled “You are free to leave! We won’t bother you anymore”

Robin looked up at him “Can… can I stay here?”  

The three men stared at her, speechless.

“I can work! I’ll do anything!” she quickly added. 

Their silence was sort of unnerving. She hadn't wanted to impose but she couldn't think of what to do next. 

“I don’t have anywhere to go…” she said quietly.

“Nmaa~~~ The marines are after you! You can’t possibly-“ Iceburg began but Franky cut him off “Oi oi. Calm down, Bakaburg” and then he turned to Tom-san “It should be okay, right, Tom-san? I brought her here after all. I feel partially responsible for her now”

Tom-san laughed a merry laugh. “Of course! If you want to stay then you can Robin! The more the merrier!”

“Th-thank you, Tom-san!” Robin stuttered, wide-eyed.

“Nmaaaa~~~~ Tom-san! You are too careless with these things!” Iceburg cried out but he didn’t argue any further “Franky, she’s going to be your responsibility! Keep her out of trouble!”

“I got it already” Franky said dismissively.

He turned to her “Yosh! That’s settled then!”

“Thank you” she said warmly.

He gave her a thumbs-up in response.

 

 

* * *

 

  

“I guess this takes care of my food and shelter for now” Robin thought and then after a deep sigh “But for how long?”

 

She knew very well that she wouldn’t be staying there for long.

It was only a matter of time before they betrayed her.

They all did. She understood that very well.

No matter how warm they seemed at first, they’d undoubtedly betray her in the end.

That’s what had been happening for the past couple years. Why would it be any different this time?

 

Franky and the others were sound asleep in the next room.

She was sharing a room with a kindly woman who lived with them, Kokoro-san.

 

She rolled around twice on the futon before getting up and walking outside.

It was windy and refreshing. She sat on the ground. She couldn’t sleep properly. She knew she always had to be on guard.

She looked out over the junkyard, at the ship the three men had been working on the entire day. It was marvelous.

Franky wasn’t kidding when he spent all that time bragging about Tom-san’s talent. It was a grand ship.

 

“Can’t sleep?” a voice shook her out of her thoughts.

Franky sunk down on the ground beside her “That’s understandable since it’s your first time here. I guess it ought to be hard settling down in a new place”

She didn’t say anything. 

“Agh! Don’t be so quiet all the time Nico Robin!” he groaned loudly.

“You’re very loud. You’ll wake everyone up” she whispered back.

“I get it. I get it” Franky grumbled.

“How long will it take to finish it?” she asked pointing to the ship.

“Not long. Two, maybe three days?” and then after a pause “You wanna see it up close?”

“Is that okay?” 

“Yeah yeah it’ll be fine since you’re with me” he stood up and offered her a hand.

She took it and he pulled her up. The sudden pull came as a shock and her face bumped into his chest.

She hastily pulled away and turned around. She felt a blush form on her face. 

“Ah sorry sorry” he murmured “Well! Let’s go!” he began striding towards the ship.

She followed silently, a bit confused as to why her face felt hot all of a sudden.

 

 

“Well? What do you think?” Franky raised his hands, gesturing towards the entire ship?

He climbed onto it and then helped her up.

“It’s wonderful” she smiled.

“I know right? It’ll be even more SUPER after we’re done with it! You’ll see, Nico Robin!”

She laughed, a quiet but pleasant laugh.

Franky suddenly stopped talking and gawked at her.

“What is it?” she asked, tilting her head to one side.

“You laughed!” he said and then he began laughing, “That was surprising!”

Robin looked at him quizzically.

“Well, it’s the first time you laughed since we met. You should do that more often! It feels good somehow!” he grinned.

Robin felt her cheeks flush.

What did that even mean? Why would _he_ feel good if _she_ laughed?

She looked at the ground in silence. 

“Not that again!” Franky groaned as he put his hand on her chin to raise her face up to his.

Their eyes met. Suddenly everything went quiet.

He gazed into her eyes. They were enchanting. He hadn’t noticed it before but she was actually really pretty.

“What are those?” she asked suddenly, breaking the tension in the atmosphere.

He looked over his shoulder and grinned.

“THOSE, Nico Robin, are my SUPER ships The ‘Battle Frankys’!!”

“Battle Franky” Robin repeated.

“They’re really strong and they can even defeat the great sea monsters” he paused and yawned “I’ll take you for a ride and show you someday” he said. 

That simple line made her blush again. What was wrong with her? 

“Now, let’s go get some sleep, okay?” 

She nodded in reply and followed him back to the cottage, unsure of the feelings rising up inside her.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments if you like, or if there's anything you think is wrong or if there's any mistakes anywhere and whatnot (/w\\) comments make me happy


	4. Life in Water 7 Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin starts her new life in Water 7

* * *

 

The next morning Robin was in the middle of helping Kokoro-san in the kitchen when Franky walked in.

“What are we having, Monster baa-san?” he inquired, picking at his ear with his pinky. 

“Oh we’re having-“ Robin stopped half way and her cheeks turned pink. “Umm… where are your pants?”

“They’re a bother,” he said as he furiously scratched his head.

He had nothing but an unbuttoned shirt and speedos on.

“Franky, remember to go pick up those parts that were arriving today! Tom-san said they were important!” Kokoro-san shouted.

“I know, I know. I’ll go now,” he said as he walked out the door.

“Y-your pants!” Robin called out after him to no avail.

“That guy…” Kokoro-san sighed “He’s always like this” she softly nodded her head from side to side. “Robin-chan, can you please take these to him?” she handed her the pants he had neglected and left behind.

She promptly ran after him.

 

* * *

 

“Ohhh Nico Robin! What are you doing here?” Franky called at the girl holding out a pair of pants to him.

“I brought you your pants,” she said simply.

“Ugh do I have to wear them?” he complained but he put them on anyway. “Thanks” he murmured somewhere in between.

She began to walk back to the cottage when he called out to her “Oi! Wait! Why don’t you come with me?”

“Is that okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, just stick with me”

 

* * *

  

People had just begun setting up shop in the marketplace. It was slowly coming to life. There were very few customers as it was still quite early.

Franky stifled a yawn as he walked down a familiar road. He noticed the girl beside him staring at the different things. Her usual indifferent face showed no hint of emotion.

But what bothered him were the two or three people who had been giving her weird looks. They recognized her right off the bat, did they? He had to do something. She easily stood out, as her features were quite unique.

“Nico Robin, come here a sec” he pulled her by the hand to a less crowded area.

“Wha-“ Robin began when he suddenly put a big sunhat over her head.

“Yosh. This should do it,” he said, apparently satisfied. “It’s big enough to cover your face”

Robin looked up at the grinning boy. “I don’t have any money,” she said.

“It’s on me” his already wide smile grew wider and she quickly looked down at the ground.

Robin had noticed people giving her weird looks. She guessed that was why he was buying her the hat. Nevertheless, she was still touched. It was quite possibly the first present she received in years.

She was broken out of her thoughts to see his face inches from hers.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like it?” he asked, bending low to see her expression from under the hat.

Robin quickly stepped backwards. “N-no! It’s… nice…” she mumbled without having even seen the hat.

“That’s good!” he grinned, “There anything else you want?”

“No…”

“Okay, stick close to me and don’t get lost now” he began walking down an alleyway, with her at his heels.

 

* * *

 

Franky went to various places and bought several mechanical items, the likes of which she’d never seen before. It was a world completely new to her. She had studied many different things before but knew very little about this particular subject. As someone who enjoyed learning new things, she tried to pick up as much as she could from each of his encounters.

She also did a great job in keeping up with Franky’s pace, despite the fact that he walked pretty fast since he had a lot of work to get done.

They tirelessly went from dealer to dealer and not once did she complain. She also helped him carry his various things and in whatever else way she could.

At one point he noticed that she was no longer beside him. He began looking around in a panic only to find her standing outside a small store. She seemed to be carefully studying the inside through the window.

What could have finally caught the attention of the girl who impassively walked past just about everything else in the marketplace?

He walked over to her to see her peering into a bookstore, her eyes full of wonder at its contents.

 _So **that’s** her thing_ , he noted internally.

“Oi, where did you disappear to?” he put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her out of her thoughts.

“Sorry I…” she faltered.

Franky studied her face. “You wanna go in?” he asked.

“Eh? Is that okay? We have more work to do right?”

“Nah, it’s okay. We can take a break,” he said as he pushed open the door and held it for her.

“Ah, Franky-kun! How may I help you today?” asked a kindly old man.

“Not me, oji-san. Her.” He said gesturing to Robin. Seeing her hesitate, he put an arm around her shoulder, brought his lips closer to her ears and whispered, “Don’t worry. His eyesight’s gone bad. Probably won’t be able to tell who you are”

Robin stiffened at his touch and held her breath until he moved away.

“It’s unusual to see Franky-kun with a girl” the old man smiled “And how may I help you?”

“I’d like to see your historical books, please” she said timidly.

“Ah, of course. If you’d follow me” he led her to a corner of the store with a humble collection of books on world history and the like.

She went through each of them with great interest and picked out three before realizing she had no cash to pay for them.

“So you’re taking these then?” Franky asked as he picked up the books she chose and piled them with some of his own.

“Ah, no, I don’t-” she started.

“It’s alright” he grinned “You earned them!” he ruffled her hair and went over to the counter.

She reached up to fix her hair where he messed with it. Unexpected emotions bubbled up within her. She felt warm inside.


	5. Life in Water 7 Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is too much happiness a bad thing?

* * *

 

“Nmaa~~ Franky! Where have you two been all day?!” Iceburg demanded as soon as they had come back home.

 “We had a lot of work to do, Bakaburg” Franky indicated towards the bags filled with parts, both him and Robin were carrying.

“How could you take Nico Robin with you?! What if people recognized her?!” Iceburg raged on.

“She’d be SUPER bummed at home if I left her with _you_ ” he dismissed Iceburg as he opened the refridgerator and began looking for whatever Kokoro baa-san cooked up. “Robin, you didn’t have lunch either, right?” he called her over to him.

Robin, who had been listening to them quietly, made her way over to him. Did he really take her with him because he was worried about her? Maybe she was overthinking things…

“We hit the jackpot AOW!” he exclaimed as he handed her some cola and a thick slice of sandwich.

She took small bites of her sandwich as she watched him gulp his down in seconds. He then chugged the soda down as though it was water.

“YOSH! Gotta get to work!” he announced as he strolled over to the junkyard.

Iceburg sighed, “Please clean up the mess he made, Nico Robin” and followed after him. That was the first time Iceburg had spoken to her without yelling, she noted, chewing silently.

She made a number of hands appear and promptly made the place sparkling clean. Kokoro-san who seemed to have been out somewhere, had come back just as Robin had finished with the cleaning. She looked around the place with surprise.

“Robin-chan, did you do all this?” she inquired.

Robin simply smiled at her.

“You are a blessing!” she exclaimed. “Iceburg and Franky are always working on ships or on the train, but they never help out at home! Oh I can relax and take my time with dinner” she exclaimed with a face the embodiment of tranquility or, well, close enough.

“Tom-san! Look what Robin-chan did! Have you ever seen the place _this_ clean before?” she cried out to Tom-san, who had just walked in for a short break.

“Robin did this?” he laughed merrily “Good job, Robin!” he patted her head.

She joined Tom-san and Kokoro-san for some tea. They chatted about pleasant things. She laughed a quiet and pleasant laugh, as Kokoro-san told her about Franky’s antics over the years. As it turned out, he had always been quite an oddball. But in a good way.

After tea, she picked out one of her new books and read for a while. She could hardly concentrate because she kept thinking of how Franky had smiled at her and ruffled her hair back then, at the bookstore. She wanted to ruffle his too. And pinch his cheeks. Really hard. She didn’t understand why. _Is that even normal_ , she wondered.

She put her book down. It wasn’t as though she could concentrate on it anyway _._ She went over to where the boys were working.

It was dark out already, but they slaved away in the dim light of some lanterns. One could tell from their faces that they loved what they did. That even though it was late, they kept working non-stop, unable to pull themselves away from their craft.

“Kokoro-san is calling. Dinner is ready” she called out, meekly.

“We’ve got a bit more work to do, Robin” Tom-san said, as he hammered some nails into a plank of wood.

“Can I help with anything?” she asked. 

“Nmaa~~ it’s not as easy as it looks” Iceburg added, unhelpfully.

“It’s alright, Robin. We’re just about done for today, anyway” Tom-san smiled through the glands of sweat dripping across his face. 

Each of them pushed themselves to the limit. She’d seen them working earlier as well, and they hadn’t shown any less enthusiasm back then. She admired their dedication. It made her want to pick up a hammer and start hitting some nails onto some wood, although she had no idea _what_ to build or _how_ to build it. 

Her thoughts were broken by a chorus of growls coming from the stomachs of the three hardworking men. Iceburg was the only one who showed any sign of embarrassment; his face turned bright red. Tom-san chuckled heartily, as he always did. Franky groaned loudly, as he always did. Robin could not help but laugh too.

“That should be enough for today then, boys,” Tom-san said, putting his tools away.

The four of them walked back to the cottage for dinner.

* * *

 

A few weeks had passed by like that. Robin read, helped to cook and clean, watched the men work, and went shopping under a huge sunhat that hid her face well.

She was introduced to Yokozuna, whose existence she found to one of the biggest mysteries of life, after the Poneglyphs themselves. Was he a housepet? Was he one of Tom’s workers? Why did he swim like humans? Well, it didn’t matter as he took to her well. 

Everything had been going well, maybe except Franky’s blatant refusal to don any concealing apparel on the lower half of his body. _It’s a bother_ , he would say, every time she (or anyone else) requested him to put on some pants. She found it quite distracting.

One bright morning, when everyone had left to work after a hearty breakfast together, Robin eagerly cleaned the house. For first time in her life, she had enjoyed doing housework. Well, it **was** the first time it had been so rewarding! Tom-san and Kokoro-san were full of her praises. Franky complimented her. Even, Iceburg (grudgingly) said something nice every so often. She had begun to feel like she was part of their small but loving family. As she vigorously wiped at a stain Franky made on the floor while “experimental-cooking” as he called it, she was surprised to see tears rolling down and falling where she wiped. She hadn’t even realized that she was crying. Indeed, her happiness was bittersweet. The worst feeling was when she started getting settled down, started getting attached.

She belonged nowhere.

Farms, loving families, even pirate ships. She ran so far for so long. She settled down only to pack up and leave the next day. She was getting tired but at least when she wasn’t emotionally invested, it made it easier to leave. This family was dangerous. For the first time in a long time, her emotions were getting stirred and she didn’t like it. 

She knew very well that the day would come, but she pictured it quite differently. She sighed as she stuffed the three books Franky had bought her into a small bag. _I’ll always treasure you_ , she said out loud to no one in particular.

 

 


	6. Life in Water 7 Pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What to do when you're afraid you'll be betrayed again?

* * *

 

 

“Ah-choo!!” Franky sneezed out loud.

“Disgusting” Iceburg glared at Franky as he wiped his cheek, the victim of Franky’s sneeze-germs. 

“Sorry sorry” Franky said distractedly, not sounding very apologetic. His mind was somewhere very far away. He’d been hammering at the same nail for quite some time.

“NMAA~~” Iceburg burst out “If you’re not going to work, you might as well go home and rest and stop making the rest of us sick too!!” 

“I’m not sick!” Franky retorted. However, the prospect of going home to rest didn’t sound so bad.

Home felt more welcoming these days. He wondered why.

Iceburg was stunned to see him drop his tools and actually get up to leave. “So he was sick after all” he spoke out loud.

“It’s a different kind of sickness” Tom-san chuckled amusedly, much to the cluelessness of Iceburg. “You’ll catch it too someday, Iceburg” he snickered.

“What an ominous thing to say, Tom-san!!” Iceburg’s face turned white as a sheet.

Tom-san laughed much harder, not bothering to explain the matter any further. He’d see for himself when the time came.

 

* * *

 

 

“Yo! Nico Robin! I’m not feeling well!” Franky cried out as soon as he entered the cottage. He entertained thoughts of ‘being nursed back to health’ during the stroll back. A slight blush coloured his cheeks as he waited for her to respond. Alas, no response came.

“Yooooo” he called out as he searched the next room, the kitchen, and for some reason- under the furniture.

The logical conclusion was that she went out grocery shopping, or out on a walk, or something of the sort.

But by this time, he knew better. For one thing, she always stopped by and watched them work before going out anywhere. For another thing, the house looked _too_ clean. Suspiciously so, in fact. And her very few belongings didn’t seem to be anywhere. 

_She couldn’t have… Could she? After all this time?_

He ran back to the junkyard. “ROBIN ISN’T AT HOME!!” he cried out in a panic.

Tom-san and Kokoro-san, who were conversing there suddenly stopped and looked at him.

“Nmaa~ she probably went off somewhere” Iceburg responded “Wait, weren’t you sick just now-”

“Her things aren’t there either!” Franky continued.

Iceburg frowned “Franky, she chose to stay with us of her own free will. It shouldn’t really surprise you if she left of her own free will too.”

“BUT WHY WOULD SHE LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING?! WHAT IF SOMEONE CAME AND TOOK HER AWAY WHILE NONE OF US WERE WATCHING!!” Franky’s anxiety seemed to escalate by the second.

“Calm down, Franky” Tom-san finally spoke. He looked at Kokoro-san “Where do you think she went?”

“I don’t know. She seemed fine this morning.” Kokoro-san was also quite perplexed.

“If she was kidnapped, why would her stuff be missing too. Just accept it, she left us. From the rumours I’ve heard, it seems she did that quite often. I heard she even joined _pirates!_  And betrayed them too! They don’t call her the devil woman for nothing. We should be glad she left us without doing US any- ” Iceburg stopped when he saw the fury in Franky’s eyes.

“WHO’S A DEVIL WOMAN, YOU BASTARD?!” Franky thundered.

“Stop Franky” Tom-san ordered. “You too, Iceburg! Robin is our family now! Don’t just speak of her like that!”

“S-sorry” Iceburg mumbled.

“All work is temporarily on hold until we find Robin” Tom-san announced.

The four of them and even Yokozuna split up, looking through each corner of Water 7.

Tom-san checked with the seatrain office, if someone like her had passed through, giving as vague a description of Robin as possible, lest they recognize who she really was.

At the end of the day, Robin was still not found.

Where could she have gone? She had no money, no connections, no home to go back to.

He wouldn’t deny it. Franky had heard the rumours too. He didn’t give a rat’s ass about them but he wondered. Did she really board a pirate ship and sail away? Just like that? Why hadn’t she said anything?

As if to symbolize his inner chaos, dark clouds began to form in the sky. It started raining hard. Bells were ringing all around reminding him of a terror, which made his blood run cold.

_Aqua Laguna was coming!_

Had they ever informed Robin about Aqua Laguna? What if she was still out there? She wouldn’t know what was happening. Even if she managed to join the locals for shelter, people would inevitably find out who she was and then capture her. Or worse, send her back out to face the raging tides. Although they never asked her about it, he heard she was a devil-fruit user. What if she fell in the water?

“Tom-san! You guys bar up the windows! I’ll go look for her again!” with that he ran off.

The tides of Aqua Laguna became stronger each year, and the water level rose higher. So far, it wasn’t something to consider a very serious problem and some people didn’t even bother joining the public shelter since there was no imminent threat. However, Robin didn’t know any of this! She was somewhere out there by herself, possibly confused and scared. He needed to find her quick!

 

* * *

 

 

Nico Robin huddled in a corner and hugged her knees. She shivered from the violent winds and the cold rain. Or was it from fear? A link to a past trauma, suppressed from years of trying to forget. Bells rang furiously around her. She blocked her ears as hard as she could and closed her eyes. She could see the Buster Call.

_Canons firing. People screaming. Bells ringing._

Her new sunhat was gusted away but she was helpless to retrieve it. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t open her eyes. Keeping them closed was worse. She kept reliving that day; that buster call. She feared she would open her eyes to see it once again. Would the people she grew to love on this island meet the same fate? Once again she would be helpless to save the people she cared about. All she could do was sit, shiver and cry. And she did. She cried loudly.

Suddenly she felt the familiar sensation of her big hat around her head. She opened her eyes ever so slightly to see a familiar boy panting and wheezing. He was trying to speak but he was very clearly out of breath.

He tried to scold her between breaths but he didn’t seem sure of what to say. He was mad she ran away, damn relieved to find her, happy to see her, slightly disorganized by her tear-streamed face. In short, a wild mix of emotions. And he thought it was hard to find the right words on a good day! 

Robin now opened her eyes wide. She stared at the boy, a bit confused as to whether she was imagining him or not. She reached out and felt his hands. Upon confirming that he was indeed really there, she jumped out and embraced him, crying much harder.

“Oi, oi. Do you know how worried I was?” he held her tightly.

They stayed like that for a while. All background noises seemed nonexistent- like someone put the world on mute for a bit.

She pulled back and looked at him.“F-Franky” she smiled weakly. And then she passed out.

 

 


	7. Life in Water 7 Pt. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Aqua Laguna

* * *

 

The next several moments were a blur of activities. Robin felt someone lift her in their arms and hold her tightly. Was it Franky? Nah, that was a dream right? A special kind of dream where you can _feel_ the person you’re dreaming about. Besides, she ran away and strategically hid herself. She was used to hiding herself in ways she couldn’t be found. That was no problem. But then there was a storm. And loud bells. And chaos. And, and, Franky! She awoke with a start.

She looked beside her to see the object of her internal reflections snoring loudly, sleeping on the floor right next to her mattress. She also noticed that he was holding her hand. A strange lethargy floated around inside of her head and she was unable to think properly. A neatly folded handkerchief lay on her lap. It had slid off her forehead when she abruptly sprung up.

She couldn’t make sense of things. She didn’t even pull her hand away from Franky’s as Kokoro-san entered the room and tiptoed over to her, a relieved look on her face.

“Ah, Robin-chan! You’re finally awake!” she sat down beside her and felt her temperature “Much better than before!” she said with a look of satisfaction. “You were out in the rain for so long, it’s no wonder you caught such a high fever. You were drenched to the bone when Franky brought you in! I changed you, don’t worry. Are you feeling better now?”

Robin simply blinked. How to form words again? Who exactly was this lady?

“I see” Kokoro-san smiled. “Go back to sleep for a while. I’ll tell Tom-san you’re better”

So she did. Go back to sleep, that is.

 

The next time she woke, she felt fresh. Her mind was clear and she could think properly which meant that now- she had all the time in the world to freak out over everything that happened. She ran away. She hugged the blue-haired boy. He carried her. Held her hand and slept right next to her.

She held her palms against her cheeks. WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED?! 

“Oi oi. Is your temperature rising again?” The aforementioned blue-haired boy had just come in with a tray of soup, which he put down instantly in order to take her temperature. “Hmm, your face is getting hot again” he said thoughtfully.

Robin smacked his hand away and he flinched from the surprise. 

“Umm… Uhh… sorry” she said meekly.

He pouted. “That’s some way to act. Who do you think’s been taking care of you all this time?”

 _Wasn’t I supposed to be the one who was nursed back to health?_ Franky sulked.

“Sorry” Robin said meekly. She turned away to hide her blush. She imagined Franky as a doctor. In her mind, he sported glasses, a pair of stethoscopes and a lab coat but strangely still had his speedos on and no shirt underneath.

Franky wondered what he possibly could have done to upset her. So much so that she practically ran away from home. And even now, she seemed to not want to look him in the eye. His grew restless from overthinking, but he was glad that she was safe. 

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he voiced out his inner feelings, gently placing his hand on hers.

Robin felt a crack somewhere. No. This eccentric shipwright with his peculiar ways and his large hammer **_could not_** be denting the walls around her heart; the ones that took her so long to build. Damn it, this is why she left in the first place!

“Robin! How are you feeling now?” Tom-san’s usual cheerful disposition was replaced by one filled with worry. His uneasiness only faded after she reassured him that she was okay.

The rest had just filed into the room, to check up on her.

She calmed them down saying that the fever faded. They apologized for forgetting to tell her about Aqua Laguna, and then explained in detail about the experience that frightened her half to death. 

During the initial years of Water 7 it had been a thing of great worry. However, as the town flourished, they set up safety measures and now people treated it as a minor inconvenience. Although it wasn’t, mind you. It had just become a part of everyday life to them. To the point that they didn’t worry about it enough to talk about it until it happened. Many people did converse about it but Robin barely socialized beyond the boundary of Tom's workers and the old man from the bookstore.

“It will someday become the greatest source of strife for Water 7, as rising water levels will cause the current level of houses to eventually submerge permanently, as they had decades before.” Tom-san concluded the Aqua Laguna chapter. 

The three were very courteous and considerate of her situation and did not mention her sudden disappearance. Franky, however lacked the civic sense and as soon as the conversation reached a lull, he burst out “So, where did you disappear to?” 

It was met with a rather uncomfortable silence from her and a hit to his head from Iceburg.

“You idiot” Iceburg muttered.

“Wh-what?” Franky asked, unable to read the awkwardness in the atmosphere.

Tom-san attempted to salvage the situation. “It’s alright, Robin. You can talk to us when you feel like it. Don’t always be a stranger” he laughed.

“Tom-san…” Robin whispered emotionally, tears in her eyes. 

The men went back to their work and Robin spent the rest of the day drying out her books, which had become damp in the rain. She gazed admiringly at her sunhat. Franky must have caught it when it flew away back then. She smiled at it. Little by little, she recollected the events after the ringing of the bells. That boy, he never failed to surprise her. Or make her feels things she didn’t know she had it in her to feel.

But he was an idiot, she sighed internally.

 

 


	8. Life in Water 7 Pt. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life moves on.  
> Robin decides to take a big step and reveal her powers, for better or for worse. How will the other react?

* * *

 

Robin walked down to the junkyard to see what they were working on. It was getting boring staying indoors the entire time. 

The Aqua Laguna really took its toll on the scrap-beach since it was the lowest region of the island.

A lot of things had been washed away. Franky’s ‘Battle Frankys’ had always been secured in a corner with ropes and other handmade contraptions. There was a small warehouse under the bridge alongside the cottage for the protection of Tom-san’s projects. However, many of the ships and boats they had been working on seemed to be quite damaged. 

“What happened here?” she inquired.

“We got a lot of work to do. We couldn’t protect everything since we were busy looking for you all day.” Franky said matter-of-factly.

He hadn’t said it in a sarcastic way, and he hadn’t meant to offend her. He was just a simple idiot and wasn’t aware of how to style one’s words to protect the other party from getting hurt. Straightforward to a fault.

Robin flinched. Her selfishness seemed to have gotten them in trouble.

Iceburg hit Franky on the head with a wrench. “You idiot” he muttered, yet again. “It is alright Nico Robin” being the more ‘mature one’ he attempted to pacify her. “The level of damage isn’t that high. Sometimes we leave the boats out as is anyway, since the tides aren’t always that strong. It was just careless of us to leave the smaller, unfinished ones out as well…” he looked up at her to see if that explanation helped. It did not. She looked mortified. Or at least, as mortified as her usually expressionless face could muster up enough emotions to portray. They’d known her long enough to at least read her vague emotions.

“Can I help?” she asked finally, after standing in silence for some time.

They knew at that point that even if there wasn't much she could do, the best thing would be to let her help. At least for her sake, so she could maybe sweat out some of the guilt.

“That would be nice, Robin” Tom-san smiled. He explained some menial tasks that needed doing. A beginner like her would be able to handle at least that much.

“I… I’ve been watching you guys for a long time” she said, slightly confident that she observed them enough to be of at least _some_ help. The hard part came now. 

They watched with great interest as she hesitated a bit at first, and then she positioned her hands like a cross across her chest- palms facing cheeks.

She took a deep breath “C-Cinco Fleur” she said with great determination.

To the bewilderment of the three present, five pairs of arms sprouted around the workplace. They were exact copies of Robin’s arms. They straightaway began hammering and sawing and doing all the work that Tom-san had listed out for her.

“I ate the Hana Hana no Mi” she said meekly. “It’s a Paramecia type. I can sprout out my limbs in several places. It’s… a bit creepy though, isn’t it?” She didn’t expect to feel this awkward. She shouldn’t have revealed it. She should have just done the work with her two hands. They were probably completely disgusted. She couldn’t lift her face to see their expressions until she heard Franky yell.

“WOAH!!! SUGOI!!!” his eyes were a mix of excitement and wonder. “WOW! Oi Nico Robin, you had such a cool power all this time? Why didn’t you tell me? Man it’s so cool!”

Tom-san began laughing “Robin, you are always full of surprises aren’t you?”

“Indeed, it is a very useful ability” Iceburg said thoughtfully, with his hand on his chin. “We can get a lot of work done this way” he smiled.

Robin felt like she had the wind knocked out of her sails.

 _She_ was full of surprises?

These people just kept on astounding her one after the other. They were supposed to be disgusted, creeped out, revolted. They were supposed to turn her out the instant they saw it. Secretly she was expecting it, hoping they would turn her away now before they had the chance to hurt her later. But part of her -the part she could never really eliminate no matter how much she wanted to- wanted acceptance. Craved it. And seeing these people at awe over those aspects of hers that had repelled everyone else. She just didn’t know what to do.

The three impressed men promptly stopped staring in awe at her handiwork when they heard her sniffing. They stared in mutual perplexity at her. 

“Y-you don’t think I’m weird? Or creepy? Or disgusting?” she furiously bit her lower lip. Her nose had turned a bright pink.

After all the time they spent with her, for once they started to understand the enigma that is Nico Robin. Her simple words opened the door to a cruel past they could only imagine and it tugged at the heart. 

“Robin” Tom-san called her gently, “I’m not a human. I’m a bulky fishman” he laughed. “Do you think I’m disgusting?”

Robin swiftly nodded her head from side to side, indicating a huge **no**. 

Iceburg smiled compassionately. He was the kindest he’d ever been. Quiet Iceburg is best Iceburg, Robin reaffirmed.

She then turned to Franky. For some reason he was crying too. Much harder than she was, in fact.

“B-BAKA!!” he yelled. “IT’S NOT LIKE I’M CRYING FOR YOU!! BAKA!!” he had white snot dripping out his nose. 

She giggled happily through her tears.

_Can I really stay here? Will these people accept me? Does someone like me have the right to live happily like this?_

She didn’t know the answer to those questions, but for now, as she watched the blue-haired-goggle-toting-speedo-wearing boy cry his heart out for her, she felt content.

“Ah! So that’s how you’ve been doing the housework so quickly!” was all Kokoro-san had to say on the subject. Needless to say neither she nor Yokozuna were at all put off by it either. They could almost see the serenity in Kokoro-san’s eyes as she planned to dispense half the domestic responsibilities on Robin so she could go out and spend more time with her husband who worked in another island. 

The coming days brought with them more happiness for Robin. She was no longer only managing household chores. She spent a lot of time each day helping the men with their shipbuilding. They hadn’t expected her to be half as good. Robin was a quick learner and she _had_ spent a copious amount of time watching them everyday and even reading some of Franky’s ship architecture books. She also had to do a lot of labour as a child, so it wasn't as though it was especially difficult for her.

Her ability made it seem like there were multiple Robins around the place, some working, others passing refreshments every so often. Franky high fived her hands every time they passed him some Cola. It seemed like there were more people and the atmosphere seemed that much more lively.

She was the center of the workstation and the work was being done much _much_ faster than before.

Life was moving forward, and finally, Robin felt that she was moving with it.

There was happiness, there was joy, and there was also him. She’d peek a glance at the blue-haired boy every so often and blush.

Yep, she was happy.

 


	9. An Emotion called Jealousy Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surely, not all experiences brought on by this life would be pleasant. Sometimes, there'd be some aches somewhere within, you just couldn't explain with any kind of logic.

* * *

 

It had been a little over 3 months since Robin had started her life in Water 7. After the initial anxiety of settling in and being accepted, of running away and coming back, life had started following a regular course.

Thanks to her things were moving really fast at fishman Tom’s. She worked hard and she did it gladly. It was different from the other times. She was at a place where she felt accepted, appreciated.

The nightmares had started being less and less frequent. Recently, she found herself sleeping quite peacefully too- feeling that she was safe.

However, new problems always found a way to arise when things slowed down. Namely in the form of the feelings that bubbled up within her for the eccentric loudmouthed man- six years her senior in age but several years below her in maturity, as everyone acknowledged.

She got more and more used to his peculiarities, his odd mannerisms, his pantless-ness…

What she couldn’t get used to were the feelings which only seemed to grow stronger everyday.

She just didn’t understand them.

Were they like some form of admiration for him? He was her savior in a lot of ways. He accepted her before anyone else did. She probably just had a ton of respect for him, which seemed to make her chest ache and her face feel hot for some inscrutable reason. Yeah, that was probably it.

She ignored it, as she did with most irrelevant things she did not understand.

Life was better than it ever had been and yet something inside her hurt. That must only mean that there was actually nothing wrong, and thus she elected to ignore it (whatever 'it' was).

“Robin, we’ve settled a lot of work the past month!” Tom-san said cheerily “I can’t believe you picked up so much just by watching us for that short time!”

Robin blushed modestly “It… it was nothing” she was still not used to responding to praises since it had been ages since she last received them.

“But you can take a break for a while now, Robin” Tom-san smiled.

“Eh? Why Tom-san?” Robin felt a panic rising from within.

Did they not need her anymore? Was she going to get replaced? She constantly needed to prove herself in order to feel like she had a place with them, and if he took that away, how was she supposed to go on living?

“Did I do something wrong, Tom-san?” she asked quietly.

“No! Not at all!” Tom-san chuckled. “Quite the opposite! You’re our employee of the month!”

He then looked kindly at her “You see, Robin. We had been working on the Puffing Tom before you got here. It is completed to be sure; we finished it 2 years ago. For the last two years we had been working on connecting it to several stations.”

He took a sip of the tea he had been holding. “So far it is connected to Enies Lobby and one other station. We had been in the middle of a short break as we had other ships to construct” he paused to see her listening carefully. “We are nearly done connecting the train to Pucci. We must finish that and then build the line to San Faldo” he concluded.

“I can help!” she offered as he had predicted.

He sighed “We would definitely get it done much faster if you could” he smiled at her. “But it’s too dangerous, Robin!” he suddenly had a serious face and even Robin knew at that point what Tom-san’s serious faces meant. She gulped.

“We normally work alone but the World Government regularly sends representatives to check on our progress. If you’d get spotted by them, I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to protect you!” he said anxiously “That aside, the lines are all on water and it’s too dangerous for you to be around water anyway! I will not have you risking your life!” he said strictly.

Robin nodded. For the first time, she felt happy to be chided. She suddenly missed the Professor from the Tree of Knowledge back in Ohara. What it felt like to have a father (or a grandfatherly) figure, she could only assume- but the professor came close. As did Tom-san now.

“I understand, Tom-san” she smiled at him.

He smiled back, happy to see her so understanding. “You can come by with Kokoro-san and watch us work occasionally” he patted her head.

 

So the next week, they all set out for Pucci. As they arrived at the station to work, they were greeted by a few people.

“They provide us with the parts we need” Franky bent down and informed Robin.

“Tom-san! Welcome back!” greeted an elderly man. They shook hands. 

A petite blonde girl hopped out from behind the man. She skipped over to Franky. “Franky~~~ It’s been so long! I missed you!” she batted her eyelashes seductively at him.

Franky didn’t seem to think much of this special treatment. “Yo”, he said casually.

Robin, however felt her lips twitch. Her smile suddenly became very fake. 

_And who was this?_

The blondie didn’t seem to miss a beat either. She sized up Robin and frowned. “Who’s this?” she asked sourly. Robin gripped at the edge of her protective sunhat.

“This is our newest addition to Tom’s workers” Tom-san announced gleefully. 

The blondie eyed her sharply. Franky casually placed himself in front of Robin to shield her. The blonde girl seemed to get angrier.

“Franky~ Come see if everything is in order” she pulled him away by the hand, shooting glares at Robin.

Tom-san, Kokoro-san and Yokozuna seemed to simultaneously turn to Robin. Her face was all smiles but if one knew her for quite some time, they’d notice its artificiality and the veins popping in irritation. It’s the same look she often gave Franky when he kept groaning and pestering her after a long day of work.

Iceburg, naïve as ever, seemed oblivious to this. “That’s Maria. She’s the daughter of one of our dealers” he scratched the back of his head. “She seems to like Franky a lot,” he concluded.

“Ah, is that so?” 

 

As the men went off to work, Robin went back to Water 7 with Kokoro-san. Even Yokozuna got to stay and work with them. She sighed, realizing that she was jealous of a frog.

 _Speaking of jealousy_. She had never expected there would be someone who would be that obsessed with Franky.

What did that blondie see in him? Just how long did they know each other? Did he like her too? He never mentioned her before. 

“What’s wrong, Robin-chan?” Kokoro-san smiled at the perplexed girl, who sat for quite some time with her fists balled on her knees.

“I don’t know,” Robin replied in a daze.

“I see…” Kokoro-san nodded knowingly.

They went back home in silence.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw a post on Tumblr recently about someone wanting a fic where Robin was jealous. Well, the post was over 2 years old but here I am now! Trying my best to portray a jealous Robin! :D  
> The chapters might be coming a bit slow since I want to work on this other fic of mine so bear with me pls (;w;)/


	10. An Emotion called Jealousy Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin joins the crew in Pucci as they take a short break from work.  
> However, the only thing she can do is watch agitatedly as a certain someone tries their best to pull Franky away from her.  
> Just what are these alien emotions Robin seems to be feeling nowadays?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I wanted this to be a short mini-fluff kinda thing, like a chapter 9.5 hehe but apparently you can't do that (make a chapter number in decimal form) here (^w^;) Well that's fine cause it ended up being around the size of an entire chapter anyway!

* * *

 

Robin sat at a corner sipping a cup of freshly made juice. The others had been working tirelessly since the morning and they were all now relaxing by the seaside. A fresh breeze rolled out from the sea and passed through the town. She leaned against the back of the bench as she tried to focus on the endless blue surrounding the horizon in the form of the sea and the sky. Iceburg sat beside her staring at nothing in particular. He wasn’t exactly the best company in the world and since she didn’t talk much either, the time passed by slowly.

It was different with Franky. Sure, sometimes he’d never shut up and every so often it got annoying but… there was something about him. The way he passionately talked about his creations, the way he grumbled about everything you couldn’t help but laugh, the way that no matter what he said- it was evident that he loved and cared for those precious to him.

She wondered if she’d taken his company for granted as she watched him laugh at something Maria had just said. _I can be funny too if I try_ , she pouted. He was currently in an animated discussion with her over some part of the rail-line's architecture. The fact that Maria knew more about what Franky did than she did, bothered her a lot.

All his free time had been snatched away by the vicious bloodsucking leech-woman and she never let him approach Robin.

Because they worked so tirelessly, the boys fell asleep soon after dinner. She barely got to spend any time with him as it were. She missed his nonsensical babbling, his crying over the smallest emotional things, and the way he called her by her full-name even after all this time. Well, Iceburg did too but still...

Maria casually linked her arm into Franky’s and gripped it closer to her ample bosom.

Red splashed on the ground as Robin clenched her plastic cup.

Iceburg felt a cold sweat run down his brow. Robin was being scary again. He coughed “Ahem, Nico Robin. You dropped most of your juice” as he pointed to the ground. He then took one look at her facial expression and shrunk away. “I-it should b-be fine” he stuttered.

 _Envy_ is an emotion she had dealt with before but _j_ _ealousy_ seemed to be a completely different story.

 

“Oi, you okay?” Franky suddenly noticed Robin and her spilt juice.

She simply stared at him.

“Oi oi” he slapped his palm against his forehead. “Are you sick again? Come on, lets get you cleaned up” he offered her a hand.

Robin was suddenly aware of the red that had spilled all over her clothes. She accepted his hand and walked dazedly with him.

A screeching voice woke her out of her trance.

“Franky! Wait I’m coming too!” squealed Maria, but she didn’t move an inch from where she stood.

Instead of waiting to see if she came or not, Franky quickened his pace and pulled Robin along.

 

Iceburg watched wordlessly as a pair of arms turned into petals behind the blonde haired girl. He feigned ignorance when she shrieked at him and asked him why she suddenly couldn’t move.

“Maybe your dress got caught in something” he shrugged.

 

* * *

 

Robin wiped at her top in vain. It had already left a stain. Franky stood beside her, trying his best to look literally anywhere else.

“It won’t get off” she said.

“It can’t be helped” he said as he shrugged off his hawaiian-esque shirt and offered it to her. It was one of those rare days he wore more clothes than usual and had a tank top on underneath, so he wouldn’t be completely bare. She wouldn’t have accepted it otherwise. Probably would have given her blonde rival a chance to feel his abs or something.

“Oh, thanks” she said as she started pulling up her top.

“WOAH! WAIT! STOP!” Franky screamed, suddenly blushing hard. “WAIT FOR ME TO LOOK AWAY AT LEAST!” he held his palms up to his face to cover his eyes, leaving just enough gaps to peer through.

She giggled “I wasn’t actually going to do it”

“Damn you, Nico Robin” he said as he turned away.

Like a true gentleman, he did not look back until she said it was ok. He internally smacked himself for wasting the opportunity, but then decided it was smarter to not anger the girl. Last time, he pissed her off, he had somehow gotten away with only a few broken bones; nothing too major.

He turned to see her, comically fitted into his shirt. It was at least a couple sizes too big for her and she looked bloated. She pouted as he tried in vain to hide his laughter.

“It suits you” he said finally.

“Doesn’t sound all that credible after all that laughing” she walked down an alleyway, with him by her side.

He walked close to her. “With the hat and the shirt, you look like you’re on a holiday" he chuckled. "All you’re missing is a pair of shades”

She was glad the washrooms were farther away. The longer the distance, the more she’d have him to herself before that evil leech clung onto him again.

“I don’t wanna go back just yet” he complained.

She stopped and looked up at him.

“Nico Robin, you haven’t been around Pucci much, have you?” he smirked.

She grinned, knowingly.

“I think I deserve a break anyway” he offered her his hand. “So we don’t get separated” he looked away as a blush formed on his cheeks ”It’s gonna be SUPER crowded in town”

She linked her arm around his, as Maria had earlier. She then rested her head against it. He smiled warmly down at her.

In all honesty he hadn’t really needed a break but he wanted to spend more alone-time with the raven-haired girl.

“I hope you’re hungry, Nico Robin! This island’s known best for it’s food!” he grinned.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the fic is progressing somehow. I got the general idea for it written down and now I'm just trying to make it longer somehow hehe :D
> 
> Also, what I wanted to say about Robin in this fic is that since things turned out different here in this AU, her behaviour might also seem ooc but like, what I tried to do was a mixture of the young Robin who laughed "Dere-shi-shi-shi" with Saul, but also the calm and mature Robin we see with the strawhats. So if she seems lively or overly-talkative, it's... that. :>
> 
> Franky, too, should be a combo of the past and future Franky--- so imagine him like that too! (^w^)/
> 
> By the way [this](https://youtu.be/aNhOoMRfbzk) Miku song makes me think of Robin in the past and Robin after she met the strawhats (just replace the background characters a bit) :>
> 
> You can also imagine Franky being the one at the end of the song (the one to save her hehe), kinda like the storyline in my fic from the end bit of chapter 6.
> 
> It makes me think of my son Sabo too but thats not what we're gonna focus on now *cough cough*


	11. An Emotion called Jealousy Pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin has come to terms with her feelings, but that doesn't make it any easier given that Franky is an absolute idiot sometimes.

* * *

 

Robin stared at Franky silently as they all discussed the progress of the train lines during dinnertime. She wondered why she was so bothered by the fact that he’d been meeting _Maria_ several times these past few days. Sure, she hadn’t expected someone to actually fall for him or anything, but so what if they did? What was it to her?

Franky knew better than to bother Robin when she was giving him _the look._ Although he didn’t know what exactly he did to deserve it, he reserved himself to holding his tongue until she calmed down. He gulped, as her gaze grew more intense. 

They hadn’t been able to spend as much time together since the continuation of the seatrain project. Aside from breakfast or dinner together, they actually hardly ever saw each other if she and Kokoro-san weren’t visiting them during work.

Franky felt SUPER frustrated. He wondered what she did all day. What if she went out to town and met someone _special_? He overheard Kokoro baa-san and Tom-san talking about something the other day. Something about Robin and love trouble; then they started talking about how great it was to be young again, at which point he lost interest. What was so great about youth if you’re talking about love " **trouble** "? He scratched his head furiously. Also, what _love trouble_ was Robin having? He wanted to ask but she’d been acting really weird lately. There was an ominous aura around her every time he talked to her. She did that thing where she’d smile broadly but **you**   **just** **knew** she was furious.

 

* * *

 

 The next several weeks passed by in a flurry of activities on Franky’s part. There was so much work to do.

Robin who stayed back at Water-7 had all but memorized the entire layout of the bookstore. If her circumstances were any different, she would have contemplated asking for a part-time job there. She was glad to have the company of all the books and the kindly old man from the store.

Sometimes she and Kokoro-san went to St. Poplar, the other island the train was already connected to, which was just one hour away by the seatrain. It was where she met Franky for the first time when he had saved her from some random vicious people. 

Kokoro-san’s husband had been working there and while she visited him, Robin would wander around the town- looking through bookstores and visiting the library. She had been there with Franky a few times before and he’d shown her around. There were always many couples there- strolling about, holding hands, whispering amongst themselves. She had felt envious of them before but in recent days she was downright bitter. She spent her days exploring by herself while Kokoro-san frolicked about with her husband- it enraged her to think that maybe Franky was also walking around the markets of Pucci with _that blondie._

She’d been so hostile towards Robin the few times they met. And then, she’d drag Franky away and cling onto his arm the entire time. It sickened her. However, she maintained her poker face- all airs of composure.

 

* * *

  

One fine day, as she strolled around St. Poplar- she felt a tug on her hand.

Crap! Was she discovered? She was just about ready to attack and run, only to see Franky with his hands up.

“Oi, it’s me!” he yelped. “Me, Nico Robin!” he whispered her name so no one else could hear. 

“Franky” she was puzzled. “Why are you…?”

“We get breaks too, you know” he smirked, rubbing his nose. “I heard you were here,” he said casually.

So he decided to come over and spend his precious off-day with her? Why?

“Where’s your pretty little girlfriend?” she inquired, not making eye-contact with him.

At first he was genuinely confused.

“The blonde one” she explained.

“Oh!” he exclaimed. “Wait, why would she be my girlfriend?” he bent down and frowned at her.

She pushed him away. “She obviously likes you, does she not?”

“Eh? Seriously?” he looked wide-eyed at her.

Honestly, how dense can you get? She put a hand to her face. She wished she hadn’t said anything at all. 

“But I don’t really like her” he continued, walking beside her.

“You don’t?” she looked up at him.

“Nah. She’s annoying. She’s always clinging onto me and trying to distract me when I’m working. Like _Frankyy~ Come here~~ Let’s go to the beach together~~_ ” he attempted to impersonate her with a mock feminine voice. A really bad one.

Robin giggled quietly. She felt very petty but she enjoyed hearing him complain about her. She felt bad about it, but she wanted him to dislike her.

“I mean she’s SUPER hot and all but-” Franky paused.

Suddenly the air went cold and sweat formed on his brow. He could almost feel that ominous aura radiating from Robin. He was scared to look her way, afraid that menacing smiling expression would be there. He looked anyway. She didn’t seem to be smiling. No, she was frowning. Was she pouting? _Damn, that was so adorable._

“What’s wrong, Nico Robin?” he asked.

She glowered at him instead of replying.

He couldn’t think of why she’d be mad. The only thing was…

“What? Are you jealous?” he asked, a bit too smugly.

Robin suddenly stopped walking. Franky immediately regretted his last few words. In fact, he wondered if those would actually be his _last few words_.

 

* * *

  

Somewhere in between meeting Franky, spending so much time together, her inexplicable feelings of jealousy when she saw him with the other girl, and a short conversation with Kokoro-san- Robin had begun to realize and (reluctantly) accept her feelings for him.

“Robin-chan, do you know why you’re feeling this confusion and pain, all the time?” Kokoro-san had asked her, when she had finally opened up to the older lady about the feelings within her heart that were leaving her so conflicted. 

“Do you think maybe you’re in love in with someone?” she asked after Robin gave her a blank look.

“ _Love?_ ” Robin repeated. She’d always avoided romance novels the very few times she read fiction. The very few _Horror_ or _Fantasy_ fiction novels she bothered to read contained some elements of _romantic love_ but she’d never paid much attention to those parts.

Being in love with someone was a completely new experience for her. But wait, who was she in love with? 

She knew the answer even before she asked herself the question. She sighed as she came to the realization.

Kokoro-san smiled and watched Robin ponder on it, and eventually come to terms with it. “It may seem painful now, Robin-chan, but cherish it. It has the potential of bringing you great happiness someday,” she laughed merrily.

 

* * *

  

Robin thought about that scene, as she stood there. Great happiness? She felt her fist clench and her lips twitch in perpetual annoyance.

In the crowded town, in such a way that the people around them wouldn’t notice, a hand swiftly sprouted from Franky’s chest. It instantly sucker-punched him across the face before fading into a sprinkle of flower petals.

Robin then quickly strutted away.

“Damn you, Nico Robin~” he groaned as he sat up, holding his jaw. Then he smirked. That was an interesting reaction. Could it be? Was she actually jealous? Judging by the strength of the punch just now, he’d say she was.

He promptly got up and ran after her.

 

She ignored him the entire time he tried coaxing her into talking to him. Nevertheless, he followed her around, a goofy grin on his face.  
  
As it started getting darker, there were fewer people outside. Robin continued walking a few steps ahead of Franky. He followed her, his hands joined behind his head.

“I told you already, I don’t like her” 

She didn’t even look back at him. 

“What do you want me to say?” he continued.

She was silent still.

He sighed. “ _I like you, Nico Robin_ ” 

She flinched and stood still where she was, facing the ground.

He caught up to her, a slight blush colouring his cheeks. He had one of his hands in his pocket and took her hand with the other one. “At least look at me, now” he said softly, a slight pout on his face. 

Her ears were red. She slowly lifted her face to his.

He grinned. “That’s more like it!”

She smiled back at him.

They walked the rest of the way back, hand in hand.

 

* * *

 

Kokoro-san would be staying at St. Poplar so they went off for home by themselves. It was nighttime and a bright crescent moon lit up the sky.

As they sat in the seatrain, Franky looked over to her and asked “So, did you, like, find someone you liked?”

Robin looked at him in confusion.

“I heard Tom-san and Kokoro-san talking about it” he pouted.

Robin narrowed her eyes. He could be so thick at times. “They were talking about you,” she said matter-of-factly.

“WHAT? SERIOUSLY?” Franky cried out, his face turning red.

“SHH” she shushed him. “People are sleeping” she scolded him softly.

“I get it. I get it.” He mumbled. 

Then they laughed quietly. That was a familiar scene. He slid an arm around her shoulder. “Oh man, that was a surprise. So _you liked me_ ” he made an annoying smug face at her.

She blankly stared at him for a while, and then pinched his cheeks. Really hard.

“Hey!” he exclaimed. 

She then ruffled his hair. She seemed really happy. He let her do it.

“Happy now?” he grumbled.

“Mhmm” she looked more than satisfied. 

He held his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “Good”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while since the last update ;_; Hope the chapter is well & good hehe  
> Also, it's my birthday hehe but I'm spending the day doing nothing and editing this chapter ;w;  
> This chapter is my present for you guys on my bday huehue  
> For you…(´・ω・)っ由


	12. Together Under The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Franky finally learn more about each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk if you guys noticed but I suck at coming up with chapter names

* * *

 

Robin washed the dishes and neatly stacked them in the racks. She sighed as she heard voices screaming in the other room. 

“I TOLD YOU IT WOULDN’T WORK, BAKABURG!!”

“SHUT UP! YOU THINK YOU KNOW MORE THAN ME, BAKANKY?!!” 

Those two were just having one of their usual fights.

As she finished her chores for the night, she slowly walked over to them. Arms sprouted from their bodies and restrained them just as they were about to attack each other.

“You two sure are loud,” she said through a bright smile, her eyes closed and her head cocked to one side.

Then she opened her eyes and her face darkened. “People are trying to sleep here” she threw them outside.

“Come back when you learn to get along” she smiled and then shut the door.

 

Things moved on as usual. They were still working on the train lines to Pucci. Life went on as it had.

No, at least one thing was different now.

“See ya later, Nico Robin” Franky kissed her on the head before leaving for work.

She giggled. “Don’t forget to get more cola. We’re almost out of stock” she called out.

“Yes ma’am!” he saluted, before turning and strutting over to Tom-san and Iceburg.

Robin smiled. It felt like they were a married couple. 

They still didn’t get to spend much time together. Work kept Franky away, and Robin spent all her time reading. At night they’d have dinner together. In the morning they had breakfast together. Sometimes (but only very rarely) he’d get a day off and they’d go somewhere, hold hands and talk about nothing in particular.

And so the months passed. The line to Pucci was completed. 

Tom’s workers finally said goodbye to their friends in Pucci.

“Bye guys” Maria waved.

 

Soon after confessing to Robin, Franky had gone up to Maria and with a straight face, said  “Sorry... I like Robin”

Robin who was also present at the time felt her face flush. What an idiot! Couldn’t he be more gentle or considerate? This sort of thing required tact! But of course, it was Franky so she really shouldn't have been surprised...

“Oh, okay,” said Maria who seemed to have seen it coming. “You know, he talks about you a lot” she said to Robin and then smiled.

So, Maria had taken it pretty well and moved on to another person. “Bye Iceburg” she called out lovingly “I’ll miss you~~” 

Iceburg -just as dense as Franky, if not more so- simply waved back.

Another short break was taken before the construction of the lines to San Faldo was to begin. In the meantime, they covered more orders for ships, and Robin got to work with them once again. 

 

One night after dinner, everyone retired to bed early as it had been an _especially_ taxing day. Robin cleaned the dishes while humming along to some tune on the radio when she suddenly thought she heard a thud. She turned just as a small pebble hit a window behind her. She walked outside to see Franky standing below the cottage, grinning.

“What’s wrong, Franky?”

“Nico Robin! Come with me” he whispered loudly.

She climbed down the ladder and walked over to him. “You could have just called me normally,” she said blankly.

“That wouldn’t be very romantic” he smirked.

Robin giggled, wondering what exactly was so romantic about throwing small rocks at windows.

They walked along the beachside. 

“So, where are we going?” she asked finally.

“I’m taking you for a ride as promised” he pointed over at his most recent Battle Franky.

He helped her up and beamed “Welcome aboard Battle Franky number 35, Nico Robin!”

She clapped her hands amusedly. “Very cool!” she exclaimed.

“You better hold on to something cause this baby goes _fast_ ,” he said as the sails went up and the ship jumped to the water.

It indeed went very fast. She laughed as it zoomed across the ocean. 

“What do you think?” he shouted over to her.

“It’s great!” she yelled back over the roaring winds.

He had picked a nice night for a ride. The breeze was strong, the skies clear, the ocean as beautiful as always.

“Just a bit farther” he exclaimed.

So he had a place in mind, it seemed.

 

“What do you think?” he asked as he got down from the ship and offered her his hand. She jumped off and he caught her.

They arrived at a small strip of land on the ocean, perhaps too small to be called an island. It was pretty nonetheless.

“The stars are very pretty,” she said.

“Yeah, you can see them even more clearly from here since it’s so far away from civilization” he said “I found this place by accident when I got lost with Battle Franky number 12”

“It’s very nice,” said Robin. “Is there nobody living here?” 

“I don’t think so,” he said as he plopped down on the ground. “It’s too small for inhabitation”

“What if there’s a tribe of cannibals and they find us and capture us and then rip off our limbs and eat us?” she said with the straightest of faces, as she sat down beside him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” he responded, already used to her morbid way with words.

She was a woman of few words but whenever it was that she talked, she often said quite gruesome things that would make anybody’s skin crawl.

“We’re gonna have to go back to building the lines. For San Faldo, this time. I don’t think we’d get to spend time like this for a while” he said after a pause. 

“It’s a great thing you guys are doing. Tom-san is amazing.” She said, full of admiration for him.

“You wouldn’t expect any less from the man who built the greatest ship in the entire world,” he laughed.

When she gave him a clueless look, he exclaimed “You didn’t know?!”

“Know what?” 

“Tom-san built it. He built the Oro Jackson. The pirate king’s ship”

Her eyes went wide in astonishment. “Eh?”

“I can’t believe you didn’t know,” he laughed.

Robin couldn’t believe it either. She read it somewhere, that a legendary shipwright, Tom, had been the one to build Gol D. Roger’s ship. She never imagined it was the very same Tom-san she’d known all this time!

Suddenly Franky’s face became irritable. “They wanted to sentence him to death, you know?”

“What?!” she exclaimed. 

He explained everything that had gone down 13 years ago. How the marines had come for Tom-san but eventually they decided to give him time to work on the seatrain.

Robin listened with great interest. She was overwhelmed and couldn’t believe she had been living with them for so long but hadn’t known about all those things.

“Even now it disgusts me to think about how they wanted to punish him. I hate those World Government bastards” he clenched his fists.

Robin put her hand on his. “I hate them too,” she said sadly.

“You can tell me, you know,” he said without looking at her.

She actually could. She was surprised she felt so comfortable around someone.

“They destroyed my homeland.” Little by little, she told him everything that had happened in her past. How she was on the run, how she had to survive all those years.

He listened with a shocked face, barely able to believe what she was saying. How cruel! How could they do that to such a young girl?! Silent tears fell from his eyes. He sniffled and she smiled, a bit troubled. 

“Don’t cry, Franky. I… I’m okay now” she tightened her grip on his hand. 

“THOSE DAMN BASTARDS!!” he screamed curses at the World Government. “AND I’M NOT CRYING!” he sobbed through his tears.

It was a bit of an emotional time for them as they learned more about each other. Franky told her about how he met Tom-san after his parents had kicked him off their ship. And how Iceburg gave him the name ‘Franky’.

“Iceburg?” she asked, her eyes full of curiosity. “What was it before, then?”

“Cutty Flam” he said simply.

She giggled “Cutty Flam?” 

“Oi don’t laugh” his cheeks coloured slightly and he pinched her cheek.

“Nmaa~ Stop it, Bakanky!” she pulled out her best impersonation of Iceburg.

Franky stared at her for a bit before bursting out laughing. “What the heck is that?!”

“It’s… Iceburg” she pouted, suddenly embarrassed.

“No, no, it was great!” he cheered. “Do another one!”

Robin took a deep breath “Ta ha ha ha! Do it with a Don!” she exclaimed, but her face was super-serious. 

“OH! TOM-SAN!!” Franky laughed even harder. “You’re gold, Nico Robin!” he patted her head.

She smiled victoriously, pleased to have made him laugh.

They lay down and stared at the stars, neither of them spoke for a while. She rested her head on his chest. 

If only things could stay like this forever.

“The wind seems to have died down,” she said.

“Yeah” he agreed. 

“Would we be able to sail back?” she asked.

“I wonder…” he stifled a yawn.

“What if sea monsters suddenly attack us?” she poked at his chest.

“That would be really bad” he played with her hair.

“The water would turn red with our blood” her eyes were droopy.

“They can find us easily that way” he continued twirling strands of her hair around his fingers.

“Wait! How **are** we actually supposed to go back?” she was suddenly towering over him, pinning him down.

“Maybe we can stay here forever, just the two of us”, he drawled as a playful smirk ran across his face. He looked suggestively at her.

Robin suddenly blushed, her cheeks turning scarlet as she noticed the compromising position she held him in.

“Wha- You- Bu” she was suddenly blabbering, flustered as she was.

He laughed gently and then raised his face up to hers, paused for a second, and then kissed her.

She cupped his cheeks and kissed him back.

 

“That was SUPER”, Franky’s face was flushed and he was breathing heavily.

“I just don’t get why it took you _that long_ to do it” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. They had been more or less 'together' for a while. 

“Geh” his face deflated “Don’t ruin the moment, Nico Robin” he pouted and she laughed. 

“So how _are_ we supposed to go back home?” she probed.

“You worry too much, Nico Robin” he turned on his side to face her. “You forget you’re with one of the apprentices of the legendary shipwright” he drew lines on the sand with his finger. “The Battle Franky number 35 can run on an engine for a short while. If worse comes to worst, I’ll paddle us back myself” he grinned.

She inched closer and pecked him on the lips. 

“Woah, what was that for?”

“Maybe, to commemorate our first kiss. Maybe, to shut you up” she smiled.

“Aren’t _you_ being feisty today,” he grumbled, but then laughed “Omoshiroi”

So they jabbed at each other for a bit before eventually falling asleep there as they were. Franky with his arms around her and Robin, with her head on his chest. They went back the next morning, and avoided making eye-contact with the others. Iceburg, however, still seemed clueless as to what was going on.

Also, Franky caught a cold from laying out in the cold, shirtless; he used his to cover Robin. 

Finally his dream of being nursed back to health by Robin came true.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Note: Keikaku means plan and Omoshiroi means funny/interesting.)


	13. The Carnival City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Franky and Robin find a lost child and decide to help him find his mother

* * *

 

“The Carnival City?” Robin repeated.

“Yep!” Franky exclaimed. “It started doing quite well after the train lines were built! People could travel here from St. Poplar by boat more easily! It’s going to get way more advanced after we connect the lines directly to it!”

“Oh! How interesting” Robin looked around in wonder.

San Faldo was the last station they were connecting the seatrain lines to. It was one of the islands which were on the verge of falling into ruin before Tom-san improved trade by building the seatrain. The islands started to flourish as it was easier to commute between them. San Faldo had become known as “The Carnival City” for its festive mood and festive people. Also perhaps, the frequent carnivals held in the city.

“Shall we visit one?” Robin asked him. "A carnival, I mean"

“Ooohh Nico Robin! Are you asking me out on a date?” he chuckled.

“Sure, why not?” Robin looked coolly at him and then smiled. “Want to go on a date with me, Franky?” her face seemed to be shining brightly.

“AH!” Franky covered his eyes. “Too bright!” he exclaimed.

Robin giggled. “Well?”

Franky pouted. Obviously, he hadn’t been expecting that reaction. He was more used to people getting annoyed and lashing out at him- Not going with his flow.

“Yeah, let’s go” he mumbled, his cheeks slightly pink.

* * *

 

“Not bad” Franky said, admiring the colourful and jovial atmosphere of the place.

They walked hand in hand around the place.

He won her the biggest stuffed toy on the topmost rack on a shooting game. She bought him a small bloody toy skeleton.

“It’s cute in its own way” he managed through a shaky smile.

They had the time of their lives, as they always did when they were together. Franky had ulterior motives in the haunted house, hoping he could comfort a scared Robin. He was ultimately reminded of who his girl was by how she greeted each and every scare with an unimpressed smile.

“Oi oi, at least _pretend_ to be scared” he sighed, shaking his head.

“Uwaah. Kowaii” she said in monotone at some bloodied and dismembered corpse figure lying on the ground.

He snickered. “Nothing gets to you, does it?”

 

A few hours and many rides and games later, they sat at a corner enjoying some ice cream.

“We sure did a lot” Franky stretched and yawned, a bit tired.

“We still have many things to see. I’ve already scouted out the most interesting ones,” she said, pointing them out on a carnival map. She had sprouted out eyes in several places, checking for the most fun rides and whatnot.

“You still have energy?!” he asked incredulously.

“Of course!” she smiled brightly. “Who knows when we can spend time together like this again”

“True” he reached out and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer.

She giggled as she pecked him on the cheek.

Their snuggle-session was cut short when they spotted a teary-eyed boy peeking at them.

“Oi kid! Beat it! You’re being a pain,” Franky snapped.

The kid abruptly broke into fresh tears, crying out loudly.

“Franky!” Robin chided. She patted the boy on the head. “There, there” she said softly. “Is something the matter?”

The boy eyed the unopened bag of cotton candy in Robin’s hands. She offered it to him.

Franky rolled his eyes. “He just wants our stuff”

“I can’t find mama!” the boy cried, gratefully accepting the cotton candy, opening it and stuffing some into his mouth.

“Shum guysh were picking on me” he spoke with his mouth full of fluff “I wan fwom dem and nded up heer”

“At least finish eating first,” Franky ranted from the side, only to have an arm sprout out and restrain his mouth.

“Mpf! Mpf!” he grunted to no avail.

The boy stared in wander at the sudden magical arm.

“Nee-san, are you a witch?” he instantly stopped crying and asked, his eyes shining bright.

“Yes, I am” she smiled.

“Sugoii~~” the boy laughed, “Show me more tricks!”

Instantly a set of arms formed on his body and started tickling him. “Stop it~” he laughed, his current concerns suddenly forgotten.

“What’s your name?” she asked him.

“Zen” he replied, once again stuffing his face with candy.

“Nice to meet you, Zen” Robin smiled at him “That nii-san and I will help you find your mama so don’t worry”

Zen smiled back through his snacking.

“We will?” Franky complained but agreed after Robin shot him one of her classic looks- the ones which never failed to send shivers down his spine.

“Mama...” the boy sniffed after all the candy was finished and there was nothing to distract him from his woes.

Although partially annoyed at having to spend their precious date time on this, he sympathized with the boy and offered him more candy from their snack-stash. He instantly stopped crying and commenced eating.

“Can you tell us something that would help to identify your mother? Is your father here as well?” Robin inquired.

“I don’t have a father” Zen said simply as he chewed on a candy bar. “He died 6 years ago when I was born”

“I see…” Robin’s voice faltered. “Franky what should we-” she turned to see him in tears.

“No way… That’s just so…” his voice shook as tears fell endlessly.

“How many crying children do I have to deal with today?” Robin sighed exasperatedly, rubbing her temples.

“Yosh!” Franky suddenly exclaimed. “Don’t worry kid, we’ll definitely find your mama for you!!” he was suddenly fired up.

“Thank you” he said, still chewing on the candy bar.

He picked the boy up on his shoulders. “You can find your mama easily from up there!”

“Uwaah! Nii-san, you’re so tall!” Zen squealed with excitement.

Robin laughed pleasantly. “You’re not so bad with kids, it seems”

“Who do you think I am?” he flashed a wide grin. “I’m the great Franky! Aow! Everybody loves me!”

“Hai hai” she said “Zen, can you tell us something about your mother so we can try to find her?”

“Hmm” he scratched his head thoughtfully.

“Mama is kind and sweet and caring and she loves me a lot and-” He went on like that for a while.

They couldn’t elicit any useful information that would help guide them from him.

“I guess we walk around until we run into her” Franky sighed. “She probably wouldn’t leave without the kid and we’re bound to see her when the crowd thins out” He stopped talking as some liquid fell on his nose. “Crap! Is it gonna rain?” he asked only to see Robin with a deadpan expression.

He looked up to see the boy staring at a candy stall and drooling, his eyes shining like the stars.

“Ugh. Great” Franky muttered.

“Nii-san, can you let me down?” he asked and ran to the stall as soon as Franky complied.

“Do you want some?” Robin asked.

“No… I don’t have any money… I mean- I don't want any...” he said sadly, his eyes betraying his words and revealing just how much he wanted them.

Robin felt a strange sense of deja vu as she glanced at the boy. “It’s ok! This nii-chan will buy you whatever you want so don’t feel shy!”

“Oi!” Franky muttered but didn’t argue. “Go ahead, kid. I’m somewhat loaded today so why not?”

The boy didn’t hold back and bought more candy than his short arms could carry.

“Do you want to go on that ride too?” Robin asked, pointing to a merry-go-round closeby.

He vigorously nodded his approval.

“We’re supposed to be looking for his mama!” Franky protested but eventually resigned to the ride seeing the disappointment on their faces.

They rode many more rides. The crowd never decreased and Robin took Zen by the hand. “I’m scared you’ll get lost again,” she said.

He reached out and held Franky’s hand too. “Nii-san, I don’t want you to get lost too,” he said.

“What a good kid” Franky sobbed.

"Let’s go to that one next! Nii-san will win you whichever toy you want!” Robin pointed to another game stall.

“Oh! I want the green one!” he pointed to a hideous green doll.

“Oh, how cute” Robin marvelled at it.

Franky laughed nervously at their unexpected similar taste.

He looked dreamily at Robin. She seemed to be having the most fun out of them all. It wasn’t usual for her to meet new people and be able to get along with them, without worrying about having her identity discovered. Although she wasn’t good at showing it, her emotions revealed themselves in how much she smiled affectionately at the young boy, held his hand to protect him from the crowd and patted his head tenderly from time to time.

Franky wondered whether she had considered starting a family.

With him.

His cheeks turned red. The thought hit him like a bullet train and it would not leave him.

She was still quite young. Perhaps the thought hadn’t occurred to her at all and he was overthinking things.

But… The way she was acting with the kid was more like a mother than an older sister or anything else.

“Franky, are you okay?” Robin asked, concerned. “You look spaced out”

“I’M COMPLETELY FINE” he burst out suddenly.

She cocked her head to one side and gave him a clueless look. “If you say so”

He breathed in and out to calm himself. What would he do if she brought that up with him?

He wanted to be with her. Of course he did!

 

But… a family… He had so much work to do… He still had so much to learn as Tom-san’s apprentice… He wasn’t ready for a family life with children and…

A deadbeat dad who was always present, but never there… He reflected sadly on it. He never wanted to be like that…

 

He backed up a bit and took in the scene. The expression on her face tugged at his heart. The small boy snacking on candy noticed him looking and smiled up at him.

No, he wouldn’t be like that. He could be a good dad if he tried. And most of all, he wanted to make her happy.

 

He calmed down. Despite of whatever lay in the road ahead, he wanted to be with her and protect her no matter what the cost.

“YOSH! I’M GONNA WIN THE MOST **SUPER** TOY HERE FOR YA, KID!!”

And with that, they resumed enjoying all the attractions of the fair, the task at hand forgotten once again.

 

As the crowds dispersed around the evening, lanterns were lit up and there was a comforting vibe to the place. They walked hand in hand with the boy between them.

The young boy had all but forgotten that he was lost and chattered merrily, occasionally letting them go to suck on a lollipop the size of his fist.

The fun indubitably came to an end as they approached the festival gates and saw a woman crying and yelling at a corner. It was a no-brainer as to what she was crying for. The young boy had her eyes.

“ZEN! THERE YOU ARE!” she ran over to him and hugged him furiously. “I’m so sorry” she sobbed.

“It’s okay mama! Nii-san and nee-san helped me all this time!” he pointed towards Franky and Robin.

“Thank you so much! I was worried sick the entire day! I owe you people my-” she stopped “You…” her expression went blank as she stared at Robin. Franky stood protectively in front of her.

The woman frowned and then sighed in resignation. “Zen… Let’s go home now…” she pulled the boy along.

“But-” he protested much to his mother’s chagrin.

She ignored his protests and continued pulling him by the arm, not even sparing a glance at his saviours.

“BYE NEE-SAN!! NII-SAN!!” he waved his free arm energetically, as he was being dragged away.

Robin waved back. “Take care!” she called back to him.

 

“TCH-” Franky spat. “What’s her problem?! We found him and took care of him all this time! _She’s_ the one who lost him in the first place! The nerve-”

“It’s alright, Franky” Robin smiled sadly. “She was being considerate in her own way”

“AND HOW IS THAT?!” Franky snapped.

“Well, she didn’t say anything unnecessary to me. Also, she didn’t call for the authorities right away”

“Your bars are set too low” he pouted.

A hollow laugh escaped her lips. “You know, children really like me for some reason” She sighed “Too bad I can’t say the same for their parents”

Franky reached out and patted her on the head.

“I wish we could have played with him a bit more” she kept staring at the general direction in which the woman and her son’s figures disappeared, not too long ago.

“You can play a lot,” Franky mumbled.

“Eh?” Robin suddenly turned to face him. His cheeks were scarlet.

“When we have a kid someday. We can all play a lot together then…”

Robin’s eyes widened.

Her face felt hot and her ears reddened.

Tears stung and without any reserves, slid gently down her face.

She embraced him tightly. He tenderly patted her on the back.

“Can we go get more cotton candy? The kid ate all of ours”

“Mm!” she exclaimed as she wiped her face.

 

* * *

 

"So what was that about having children" Robin walked a few steps ahead of him with her hands joined behind her back.

Franky nervously scratched his hair and then smiled at her. "We'll have a huge family someday with loads of kids! We can all go on adventures across the seas in my Battle Frankys!"

Robin ran and leaped into his arms.

"It's a promise" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's clichéd (/w\\) I just wanted to add some fluff before ending it \\(;w;\\)z(/;w;)/


	14. Life Moves On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the construction of the train lines complete, Tom-san's trial aproaches.

* * *

 

The next several months went by as they had before. The lines to San Faldo were completed. It had taken them 14 years but the seatrain project was finally concluded. Tom-san’s trial was to be held and he was to be pardoned.

  
A man named Spandam had been visiting them often, trying to cajole Tom-san into giving him something. Tom-san would refuse him each time, pretending to be oblivious to whatever nonsense the man babbled about. 

Franky would take Robin away each time that man came, as they feared he would discover her identity. She, however, used her devil-fruit powers to eavesdrop on their conversations. She had come to understand he sought the blueprints for an ancient weapon, which he believed was in Tom-san’s possession.

One day, Tom-san took Franky and Iceburg aside and entrusted them with what she suspected to be the very thing Spanda (as Franky called him) had been searching for. 

The nightmare started after that. 

 

* * *

 

On the day of Tom-san’s trial, Robin had been waiting back home. She knew it would only cause more problems if she were spotted at the scene. So, she waited patiently for them, wondering what feast to cook to celebrate this gratuitous day.

Suddenly, she heard loud sounds coming from outside, around the junkyard area. She ran over to the beach to see the Battle Frankys on the sail.

  

* * *

 

Someone had taken over Franky’s ships and attacked Water 7.

The blame fell on Tom’s workers but Tom-san decided to take the blame on his own. The day he was supposed to be given pardon, he was again sentenced to death.

Franky hit Spandam with the butt of a rifle. Kokoro-san held the boys back as Tom-san said his farewells and willingly walked away.

They watched as the marines loaded Tom-san into the very train he had built with so much love and pride, and take him away to Enies Lobby.

Franky shook with anger as he watched the mentor he loved and respected so much being taken away in front of his eyes.

 

* * *

   

Robin stood staring at the scene in bewilderment when she heard someone run towards the beach.

“Franky! What’s going on?! What happened there?!” she demanded as he ran up to her.

“Why are the Battle Fr-”

Franky grabbed her by the waist and kissed her one last time. “I love you. Always be happy,” he said softly and hugged her tight.

Then he ran.

He boarded one of his ships and sped towards the seatrain.

 

It happened so fast she wondered if she misheard.

She knew things would never be the same. But she could never have imagined what would happen next.

Robin screamed for him to come back. But, it was too late. He was already too far away. Too far out of her reach.

 

* * *

  

A few days had passed.

He was declared to be dead.

She didn’t cry.

Her eyes became lifeless as she watched Kokoro-san and Iceburg break down in tears. 

The World Government had once again snatched her happiness away from her.

Yokozuna was nowhere to be found. As it turned out, he attacked the seatrain everyday just like his friend had, before getting run over by it. But that wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t bring either of them back.

She hated it.

This cruel world.

The World Government and the marines.

The people who turned their backs on Ohara; believing the World Government's lies and labelling her a demon.

The people who turned their backs on Tom-san even though they were living so peacefully because of him and all his hard work.

Spandam.

Franky, for leaving her and dying.

Herself, for being so helpless to help any of them.

She hated it all. 

Finally the tears came. They would not stop.

 

* * *

 

Weeks passed by.

None of them ate very well.

At one point, Iceburg started throwing himself into his work.

He declared that he wouldn’t let this island die. No matter how unfair the people were to Tom-san, this island was his dream and Iceburg would protect it as best as he could.

Eventually, Kokoro-san decided to move to the other island and live with her husband. Her son also lived nearby and was expecting a daughter soon. 

Robin decided to leave Water 7 as well.

There was nothing there for her any longer.

Kokoro-san asked if she would live with her, to which Robin politely declined.

She would be pursuing her original dream of finding the Poneglyphs. She had collected a grand sum of money, as part of Tom’s workers; ships were quite expensive and Tom-san’s were of the finest quality. It was because they were humble people that they never used it lavishly.

A final goodbye was said. Kokoro-san squeezed Robin in her arms, tears welling up her eyes. “You take good care of yourself, child” she sobbed.

“Nico Robin” Iceburg looked blankly at her. “Take care.” was all he managed.

“You too” she smiled at him.

So that was it. It happened as she thought. She had to leave them.

Why was this even more painful than the times she was betrayed? Why did it hurt so much? 

 _“I love you. Always be happy”_ rang inside her head repeatedly. A new ghost to haunt her.

She couldn’t say it back. Now, it was too late.

 

* * *

 

 

Nico Robin travelled the world once more. She went to several places, discovered many things that gave her hints of finding the Poneglyphs- but never the real thing.

She often went back to Water 7 and would go over to the small cottage in the warehouse.

The office inside held the desks on which the three shipwrights would sit and design their creations. There was a photo of the Tom’s workers taken several years before she met them. There was another one with her in it.

Another album existed with memorable photos but she refused to carry it with her. She would leaf through it every time she came back, pausing at the same page each time.

She looked at the only picture of Franky and hers without someone else in it. They were holding hands but he ruined it by screaming something at a passerby. Her face was well hidden by her sunhat and it might as well have been somebody else.

But it wasn’t.

That was who they were.

Their relationship had been perfect in all of its imperfection.

After hours, strolling down memory lane, she’d leave. 

Then, she’d go to visit Kokoro-san.

She had developed a drinking habit and it ached Robin to see her like that. What kept her happy during these times was her grand-daughter, Chimney.

She resembled Kokoro-san, Robin noted. Robin would often bring morbid little gifts for Chimney, which the girl actually ended up liking. 

Iceburg had worked himself up to the top, becoming the mayor of Water 7. She had not met him since the day they said their farewells.

 

And so, life moved on once again.

The world did not stop just because hers fell apart.

She donned her sunhat and traversed through it.

She wasn’t alone, she’d say to herself.

He was always with her inside.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry :x


	15. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Epilogue

* * *

 

Robin wandered along the familiar beachside. Pleasant memories from far away drifted in her eyes.

She saw a dark-haired woman in a short purple dress, sitting on some rocks and giggling cheerfully. A man sat by her feet -goggles on- experimenting with his electric tools and bragging about how the new cannon he was building would knock out sea-monsters clean in one shot.

She saw them under the night sky illuminated by the stars. The man laid his head on her lap and asked her about the constellations. She explained each of them to him as she played with his hair.

She saw them walking hand in hand, laughing at nothing in particular.

She saw him hug her tightly and whisper into her ear, before letting her go and running towards the sea.

And never coming back.

Tears flowed down her cheeks. The rough winds carried them away, along with her hat. Before she could react, it was caught and returned to its rightful place around her head.

A familiar face greeted her, although, it wasn’t as familiar anymore.

Robin’s eyes widened. Her breath caught on her throat. 

She remembered a day when it was raining, and she had seen the very same person. She had reached out to him to see if he were real or if she were dreaming.

She did not do so now. She just silently stared at him. 

“Oi” he grunted. “At least say something,”

Some things never changed. That pout, those deadbeat eyes that she loved so much, his expression when he looked at her, cheeks colouring slightly.

She didn’t even care if it were a dream at that point. She ran and jumped onto him, clutching him tightly, as if to make sure he wouldn’t leave ever again. 

He, on the other hand, held her softly, afraid that he might hurt her if he strengthened his grasp.

His body was no longer the same to hold. It was cold and solid. She didn’t care.

As she raised her face up to his, tears dripped down her eyes. “Is this another dream?” she asked.

He flashed his trademark grin, another thing that remained the same.

She felt as though he would fade into the air and disappear. That this was just her, hallucinating.

But he didn’t.

He picked her up in his arms as she cried. He held his face against her hair.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“You should be” she felt calmer.

And they stayed like that for some time, the world around them once again on mute.

  

* * *

 

“What happened to you?” Robin asked finally, as they settled inside the cottage under the bridge where they had spent many happy days.

“It’s a long story” he smirked.

“I have the time,” she stated impassively.

“Well, a lot of things happened and…” he began explaining what had happened after the accident. How he was on death’s door when he came across an abandoned pirate ship passing by. He boarded it and ‘fixed’ his dying body with parts he found onboard. 

“So, I’m no longer the Franky you knew! I’m-“ he spun his hands and struck a pose, “The SUPER, amazing- Cyborg Franky! AOW!” he announced.

“I see” she spoke after a pause that could only be counted as 'too long'.

He suddenly opened his stomach and showed her a cola refrigerator in its place. He also had weapons installed in his arms. His body and arms had gotten bulkier. “My only weak spot is my back since I couldn’t reach it”

She clapped her hands softly as he ended his robot body-show.

He smiled at her and sighed, “You haven’t changed a bit”

She blushed.

“You’ve changed a lot,” she laughed lightly.

A flash of melancholy sparked his eyes. “I have, haven’t I?” He let out a deep breath.

It was for a brief moment and then he was laughing again. “I’ve become more SUPER! I am now the 36th Battle Franky, as you can see”

He showed her his ‘BF-36’ tattoos.

“How were your travels, Nico Robin?”

“Lonely” she was as vague as always. “When did you come back?” she asked.

“A few months ago. I met Iceburg. It didn’t go very well” he scratched his head. “I met the monster baa-san too. She told me you’d come back. That you did, every year.”

She laughed softly. “I see”

An uncomfortable silence came to pass. It had never been like that before with Franky. He had mostly never ceased to speak back then.

“How long will you be in Water 7?” he asked.

Her eyes widened for an instant. She closed them and smiled “Why? Already want to get rid of me?”

“No” he frowned. “I… I want to introduce you to the Franky Family”

She cocked her head to the side. “Who?”

He grinned. “Come with me!”

He took her to a peculiar sort of house that seemed to be constructed from all sorts of leftover parts. “Franky House” it said on top of the entrance.

“ANIKI!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” yelled a short man wearing a goggle on one eye. He paused when he saw her with him.

“This is Zambai” Franky introduced him to her. He never bothered introducing her back.

As they entered, two slim girls with similar odd hairstyles ran over to him. “Aniki! We got a new ship! Dawaina~” they both chorused. 

Robin stood at the corner and took it all in. She felt as though she had walked into a bizarre carnival. The entire place was pretty much how she imagined the inside of Franky’s mind to be. 

He took her to an inner room. “You guys take a hike! Don’t make noise! Don’t bother us!” he barked at them.

When they were giving him suggestive winks, he started throwing things at them.

“It isn’t like that! AHO KA?!” he roared.

She gave him an intrigued look as she made herself comfortable on a sofa. He sat on the floor on the far side of the room, even though there was plenty of space beside her.

She lost the urge to speak. Granted it had been a few years (four to be specific), since they had last seen each other. But, the way he was acting distant really put her off. 

I love you. Always be happy.

Where did that go?

“They’re idiots I found making trouble on the streets. I took them in. Who’d understand them better than me?” he chuckled. 

She remained silent.

“How’s the search for the Poneglyphs going?”

Still silent.

“What’s wrong Nico Robin?” he asked after a pause.

“What could possibly be wrong?” she had that expression he had always feared plastered on her face. He could never ever forget that one.

She got up and walked over to him and bent down so her face was on level with his.

“I love you. Always be happy,” she said simply.

“Wh-wha?”

“That time. That’s what you said to me that time” Her gaze was so intense he could almost feel it pierce into his soul. “Don’t you love me anymore?” she asked softly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“I…”

He was at a loss for words. He couldn’t hold her gaze.

“I don’t have what it takes to make you happy anymore…” he said finally, his face completely serious.

Robin felt a sharp pain shoot through her chest.

She grabbed him by the collar of his colorful shirt. “The past four years, I have **never once** stopped thinking about you! Did you even consider how I felt?” she quavered as tears slid down her face.

He hadn’t seen her this way since the first day they met, when they mentioned her homeland.

Her grip tightened.

“Why did you do it? WHY?” she demanded. “THAT DAY, WE LOST TOM-SAN… WHY DID YOU LET US LOSE YOU TOO?!” she cried. “YOU WERE ALL I HAD! HOW COULD YOU LET ME BE ALONE AGAIN?! HOW-”

He pulled her by the waist and drew her into a hug.

“NO! LET ME GO! I’M NOT DONE-” she thrashed about in his arms. Several more arms appeared and pulled at his hands but he refused to let go.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low. 

“You should be! You should be, but this won’t change anything! I won’t forgive you!” she stopped struggling, but she was still mad.

“I never once stopped thinking about you either, Robin” he said softly.

“Then why…” she couldn’t finish her sentence.

He let go of her and popped open his stomach. “This is why” he said.

She stared at him in confusion. He clicked his tongue. 

“You don’t get it, do you? I’M NOT THE SAME ANYMORE! I’M BARELY EVEN HUMAN!” he looked straight at her. “You felt it didn’t you? My body is mostly steel now! My internal organs are gone! I’m not that guy from back then!”

She gazed worriedly at him. He looked away.

“You should be with someone who can make you happy” he attempted to smile.

“That’s impossible” she stated.

“Why” he asked.

“Because they wouldn’t be you” she responded, looking straight at him. Her emotions showed in her eyes. It was very rare to see her like that. He wondered if the years had changed her, or was it that she felt that strongly about him?

“You… don’t you think I’m weird? Or creepy? Or disgusting?” he couldn’t meet her eyes anymore.

She pulled his face up to hers and kissed him. She remembered the day she asked them that very same question.

“Not any more than before” Robin laughed through her tears.

Franky looked at her in bafflement. “But I…”

“You’re gigantic. You’ve got a fridge in your stomach. Your hair grew longer,” she said, running her hand through his spiky hair which seemed to have increased in length, inclining upwards. “But you’re still the same idiot I fell in love with” she smiled. “Nobody could ever replace you. No matter what you are now, I love you just the same”

“BWAH!!” he suddenly started crying. “NICO ROBIN! YOU… YOU… YOU BAKA!!’ he turned to hide his face. “I’M NOT CRYING,” he insisted through his tears and dripping nose.

“Of course you aren’t,” she agreed through happy tears of her own.

 

* * *

  

“So what are you two planning to do?” asked Kokoro-san as she chugged down a bottle of wine.

“We’re gonna get married” Franky announced.

“He made this himself” Robin grinned and raised her hand to show the ring Franky carefully constructed out of pearls.

“NGA NGA NGA” Kokoro-san wasn’t drinking the wine as much as she was pouring it straight into her liver. “Finally something good happened in a very long time” she said.

“Sugoi! Sugoi! Nee-chan and nii-chan are getting married, sugoi!” chimed a little blonde girl as she danced happily with her blue bunny rabbit.

“That’s right, Chimney” Robin smiled as she patted her on the head.

 

It had been about two years since they reunited. Robin lived with Franky at the small cottage under the bridge, just like before. During the daytime the Franky family buzzed around them, always in awe of the eccentric couple. They referred to her as Aneki and she once again felt the love of being part of a family, absurd as they were.

She often went travelling. Sometimes Franky would go with her too, as she chased whatever knowledge she could regarding the Poneglyphs.

Franky tried to gain enough money to construct the ship of his dreams but he inevitably spent it partying with the rest of the Franky family, much to Robin’s chagrin.

 

One night as Robin sat on a sofa, leafing through a book, she heard a crash. A window was broken and a pebble lay on the ground.

“You could have just called me normally” she smiled out at him.

“Now where’s the fun in that?” a wicked grin spread across Franky's face.

 

He took her back to the same island he had taken her to a few years back.

“It’s still here,” she laughed.

“Yeah, I came across it while looking for parts for this” he produced a box from his stomach’s internal compartment. He opened it and offered it to her. “You like it?”

“It’s SUPER,” she said, pulling out a ring and admiring it in the moonlight.

“Does coming here always make you want to impersonate people” he chuckled.

“So, what’s this for? Do you want to get married or something?” she inquired.

His face was a mixture of shock and horror.

“NO! YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT! I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT!” he burst out.

“No, you did it all wrong” she lectured. “You’re supposed to give me the box WHILE asking me that”

“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW YOU’D SAY THAT?” he wailed.

“Well it’s been on my mind too,” she said thoughtfully.

“Oh really? Since when? Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked in wonder, stars in his eyes.

“Well, I just did” she smiled.

“Yeah well I did too!”

“No you didn’t,” she laughed.

He sighed. Why did things always turn out this way? “So, Nico Robin, will you marry me?” he gazed hopefully at her.

“I will” she smiled.

Franky suddenly started crying. “SU-SUPER” he said, getting emotional “By the way, I made the ring myself” he dabbed at his eyes.

“I love it,” she said.

He took it from her and placed it on her ring finger. “I love you. I want to always make you happy”

“Me too” she gazed admiringly at him. "I love you, Franky"

They kissed.

 

* * *

  

One day, a crew with a broken ship sailed to the shores of Water 7.

A turn of events led them to meet Franky and Robin. Franky immediately got into a fight with their captain over the state of their ship, and then eventually took to them- seeing their devotion to it. They even claimed to have seen Klaubuterman, which mystified Franky to no end.

The peculiar crew ended up saving the couple, Iceburg, and the town after certain criminals had kidnapped them for information on the secret weapons.

Franky decided to build his dream ship for them.

As they reached the end of their stay in Water 7, the captain smiled at the couple and shouted “ROBIN! FRANKY! BE MY NAKAMA!”

They smiled back. New adventures awaited them out on the sea.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's finally over (;w;)/ Thanks for reading it and I hope you liked it! Thank you very much for supporting me throughout!


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